Compare towns
Gray vs Northbridge 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
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Northbridge has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
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 | Northbridge | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
16,458 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Northbridge 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% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% 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% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Northbridge 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. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham 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. |
$3,938 26% 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% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Northbridge | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Northbridge High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.8Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.