Compare towns
Gray vs Limerick vs Waterboro
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 most expensive homes ($364k median).
Limerick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Waterboro has the most kids (22.5% 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 | Limerick | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
3,400Lowest |
8,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
42±3.1 6% below ME |
| Gray and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waterboro and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Limerick 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 ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Waterboro 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 27% above ME |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$89,392±$16kLowest 20% above ME |
| Limerick and Gray 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 |
$269,400±$29kLowest 9% below ME |
$297,000±$23k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$1,200±$461Lowest 5% above ME |
| Limerick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,520Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,772 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 16% above ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limerick 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 | — | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Massabesic High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.