Compare towns
Gray vs Northbridge vs Ogunquit 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
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Northbridge | Ogunquit | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
16,458Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest 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. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Northbridge 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. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% 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% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #226 of 282 in MA | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Northbridge | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Northbridge High | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— | 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.