Compare towns
Gray vs Otis vs Smithfield
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%).
Otis has the most homeowners (89.5%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Otis | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
705Lowest |
856 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
54.7±3.1 22% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Otis 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 ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Smithfield 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 |
$101,250±$27k 35% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Otis and Gray 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 |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Smithfield 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% |
7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 16% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Gray 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Otis Public Schools | — |
| 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 |
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.