Compare towns
Gray vs Old Orchard Beach vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Old Orchard Beach | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,244Highest |
5,766Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Gray 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% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Gray 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 27% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,246±$182 9% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,426 13% above ME |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Old Orchard Beach and New Gloucester 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 23 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Old Orchard Beach High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
7.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.