Compare towns
Gray vs Poland vs Whitefield
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).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Whitefield has the oldest population (median age 51.9).
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 | Poland | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
5,954 |
2,157Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME |
| Whitefield and Poland 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% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland 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% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Poland 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 |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Poland 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 |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| Gray and Poland 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 |
$2,774 9% below ME |
$2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Whitefield 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 16 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.