Compare towns
Gray vs Sutton vs Mapleton 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
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Sutton | Mapleton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,239 |
1,884Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Sutton 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Mapleton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Gray and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Gray 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Topsham 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham and Sutton 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 | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Kearsarge Regional School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | 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.