Compare towns
Gray vs Harpswell vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Harpswell has the oldest population (median age 62).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Harpswell | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
5,046Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Berwick and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,348±$53Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell and South Berwick 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.