Compare towns
Gray vs Peru vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Peru has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Peru | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,501 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Peru 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% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Gray 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% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Peru 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% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Gray 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 16% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 | RSU 56 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | 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.