Compare towns
Gray vs Salem 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
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
30,964Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Salem 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% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,992 124% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Salem School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Salem High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.