Compare towns
Gray vs Hampton Beach vs Topsham
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 highest household income ($95k).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 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 | Hampton Beach | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,605Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.