Compare towns
Gray vs Industry vs Jackson vs Mapleton
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).
Industry has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Industry | Jackson | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
988 |
567Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.6±10.7 9% below ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and Mapleton 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% |
22.3%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Industry and Gray 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% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton 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 |
$63,056±$19kLowest 16% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Gray and Mapleton 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 |
$205,600±$31k 31% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,049±$137 8% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,793 41% below ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Industry 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 ME: 10.7% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
86%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
41 minHighest 67% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Gray 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.