Compare towns
Gray vs Jefferson vs Topsham
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 highest household income ($95k).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Jefferson | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,647Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Topsham 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% |
18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 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±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$85,078±$17kLowest 14% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham 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 |
$311,600±$35kLowest 5% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| 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±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,120±$130Lowest about the ME average |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham 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 |
$2,587Lowest 15% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham 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 | #45 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Jefferson Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.