Compare towns
Gray vs Salem vs Raymond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Raymond has the most people working from home (32.3%).
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 | Salem | Raymond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
44,795Highest |
4,610Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.3±4.1Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Raymond 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% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Raymond and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Raymond 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Gray 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 18% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$88,194±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$395,800±$42k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$965±$397Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,139Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±62.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.3%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Raymond and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #112 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Salem | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| 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.