Compare towns
Gray vs Keene vs Topsham
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 highest household income ($95k).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
22,939Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Keene 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham and Keene 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Keene School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Keene High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.3 |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.