Compare towns
Gray vs Strafford 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Strafford | Raymond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,372Lowest |
4,610 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
47.3±4.1 22% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Raymond 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% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Raymond 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Raymond and Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$88,194±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$395,800±$42k 19% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$965±$397Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Gray and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,139Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±62.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Strafford 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.3%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #112 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Strafford School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.