Compare towns
Gray vs Gorham vs Needham vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Gray | Gorham | Needham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
18,300 |
32,459Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | Needham | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | Needham High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.9Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.