Compare towns
Gray vs Lyme vs New Gloucester
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%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Lyme | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,710Lowest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Lyme and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Lyme 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Lyme School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.