Compare towns
Gray vs Palermo 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k median).
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 | Palermo | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,473Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick 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% |
21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Palermo and Gray 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% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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 |
$89,095±$15kLowest 19% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Berwick 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 |
$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Gray 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% |
4.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and South Berwick 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 12 | 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 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.