Compare towns
Gray vs Newfields vs Brewer vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Newfields | Brewer | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,023Lowest |
9,652 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Windham 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% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Gray 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% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Newfields 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. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Windham 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Newfields School District | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Brewer High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 14.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.