Compare towns
Gray vs Hermon vs Topsham vs Winthrop
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 expensive homes ($364k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Topsham has the oldest population (median age 44.7).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Hermon | Topsham | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
6,727 |
9,706Highest |
6,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Topsham and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$8k 27% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
| Hermon and Gray 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 |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Winthrop 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | Mt Ararat High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.6Highest |
12.2 |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.