Compare towns
Gray vs Harrison vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Harrison has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Lyman has the most homeowners (95%).
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 | Harrison | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
2,513Lowest |
4,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
53.8±2 20% above ME |
| Harrison and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Lyman 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 27% above ME |
$56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$249,300±$70kLowest 16% below ME |
$360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$885±$193Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,063±$522 7% below ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,731 10% below ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 16% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Lyman 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 | — | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.