Compare towns
Gray vs Ogunquit vs Merrimac
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Ogunquit 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac 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±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Merrimac 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Merrimac and Gray 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.