Compare towns
Gray vs Putnam vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Putnam | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
9,292 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Putnam 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Putnam 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 18% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,938Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Putnam School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Putnam High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.5Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.