Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Croydon
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Croydon has the shortest commute (26 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 | Mapleton | Croydon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,884 |
798Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43±9.1 11% above U.S. |
| Gray and Croydon 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Gray 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Mapleton 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 18% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$98,333±$21kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Croydon 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 9% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$317,300±$33k 5% below U.S. |
| Gray and Croydon 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$991±$336 30% below U.S. |
| Gray and Croydon 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. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$3,806Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Croydon School District |
| 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 History | 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.