Compare towns
Gray vs Paris vs Wells vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Paris | Wells | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
5,317Lowest |
11,713 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Wells and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Paris 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% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Paris 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 |
$75,137±$20kLowest about the ME average |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Windham 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Wells High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.