Compare towns
Gray vs Newark vs Windham 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
Newark has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Newark | Windham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
727Lowest |
19,188Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.4±6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Newark 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% |
19.9%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Newark 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% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$72,929±$7kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$229,900±$23kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| 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±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,771 21% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,259Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Topsham 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Topsham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | RSU 14 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.