Compare towns
Gray vs Sanford vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Sanford | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
22,247Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Gray and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Sanford and Windham 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% |
20.8%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sanford 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Windham 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 27% above ME |
$72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| 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 23% above ME |
$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| 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 20% above ME |
$1,152±$72Lowest about the ME average |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| 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 21% above ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | #100 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Sanford Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Sanford High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
17.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.