Compare towns
Gray vs Stoneham vs Wells
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).
Stoneham has the most expensive homes ($672k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Stoneham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
23,355Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Stoneham 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. |
$113,964±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,523Highest 109% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Wells 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stoneham and Wells 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 | #117 of 282 in MA | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Stoneham | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Stoneham High | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.