Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Rye vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Rye | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,884Lowest |
5,611 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Topsham 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 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±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rye 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 9% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Rye 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #2 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Rye School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.