Compare towns
Gray vs Meredith 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).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Meredith | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,758Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%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% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Berwick 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±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Meredith and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and South Berwick 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.1Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.