Compare towns
Gray vs Jay vs New Gloucester vs Cumberland
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 renters (17.6% rent).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
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 | Jay | New Gloucester | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
471Lowest |
5,766 |
8,647Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.9±4 8% above U.S. |
| Jay and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cumberland 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Cumberland 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 18% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$173,894±$20kHighest 115% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$357,100±$29k 7% above U.S. |
$616,800±$42kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,143±$759Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$7,116Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.1%±31.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Cumberland 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 | — | #65 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.