Compare towns
Gray vs Strafford vs Windham vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Windham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,372Lowest |
19,188Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Topsham 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% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% 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% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 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. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Windham 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Windham 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±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Topsham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Strafford School District | RSU 14 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.