Compare towns
Gray vs Ira vs Benson
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 most expensive homes ($364k median).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Ira | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
381Lowest |
784 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4 33% above U.S. |
| Ira and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Benson 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% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Benson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Gray 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. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
| Gray and Benson 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. |
$4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Benson 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% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson 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 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| 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 |
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.