Compare towns
Gray vs Natick vs Windham vs Cumberland
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).
Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k median).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
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 | Natick | Windham | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
36,873Highest |
19,188 |
8,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.9±4 8% above U.S. |
| Gray and Natick 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% |
21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Natick 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% |
20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick and Cumberland 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% |
70.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Natick 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. |
$138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$173,894±$20kHighest 115% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$821,000±$25kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$616,800±$42k 85% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,143±$759Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Natick 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. |
$8,914Highest 186% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.1%±31.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Cumberland 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% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Natick 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 | #48 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Natick | RSU 14 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Natick High | Windham High School | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.6Highest |
12.1 |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.