Compare towns
Gray vs St. Albans vs South Berwick
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | St. Albans | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,954Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and St. Albans 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$99,572±$13kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Berwick 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. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$428,300±$26kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$4,956Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Berwick 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.4Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.