Compare towns
Gray vs Ogunquit vs Dayton vs South Berwick
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Dayton | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
2,313 |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Dayton 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$113,750±$24k 52% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Dayton 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
— | $1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.