Compare towns

Gray vs Norwich 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

Norwich has the highest household income ($140k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).

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.

MeasureGrayNorwichOgunquitTopsham
People
Population
8,429
3,640
1,379Lowest
9,706Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5
12% above U.S.
40.8±3.2Lowest
5% 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%
24%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.9%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
Norwich 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%±3.4Lowest
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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
81%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
50%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.4
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.
$140,313±$12kHighest
74% above U.S.
$114,259±$56k
42% above U.S.
$91,028±$10kLowest
13% above U.S.
Norwich and Ogunquit 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.
$637,500±$76k
92% above U.S.
$875,700±$79kHighest
163% above U.S.
$360,800±$20kLowest
8% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89
about the U.S. average
$1,460±$322Highest
3% above U.S.
—
$1,355±$642Lowest
4% below U.S.
Norwich and Gray 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.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% 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%
30.7%±19.9
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
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%
2.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.9%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.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1978Lowest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
8% above U.S.
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
24 min
11% below U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21%±5.3
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 #1 of 70 in VT — #66 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Norwich School District — RSU 75/MSAD 75
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town — Mt Ararat High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Highest
— —
12.2Lowest
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.