Compare towns
Gray vs Madison vs Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Madison has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Paris has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Madison | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
4,782Lowest |
5,317 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
| Madison and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Paris 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% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Paris 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 |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
$75,137±$20k about the ME average |
| Gray and Paris 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 |
$187,600±$40kLowest 37% below ME |
$240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,983Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,649 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Gray 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% |
15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
60.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Madison 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 | — | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.