Compare towns
Gray vs Medfield vs South Berwick
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 the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Medfield has the highest household income ($236k).
South Berwick has the youngest population (median age 39).
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 | Medfield | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
13,068Highest |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.4±3 9% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Medfield 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% |
28.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Medfield and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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. |
$235,800±$32kHighest 192% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$911,100±$32kHighest 174% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,035±$559Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Medfield and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.1%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Medfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #26 of 282 in MA | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Medfield | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Medfield Senior High | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
12.7 |
13.0Highest |
| 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.