Compare towns
Gray vs Keene vs Brewer
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Keene | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
22,939Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Gray 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% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Keene 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Gray and Keene 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. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Keene School District | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Keene High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.3Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.