Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Ellsworth vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Ellsworth | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,884Lowest |
8,657 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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±$20k 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.