Compare towns
Gray vs North Berwick vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
North Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
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 | North Berwick | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
5,129 |
2,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and North 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 27% above ME |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
| North Berwick and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME |
$406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
| North Berwick and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,105±$116 about the ME average |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,735Highest 23% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and North 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Bristol Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Noble High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.