Compare towns

Gray vs Sutton 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 youngest population (median age 43.4).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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.

MeasureGraySuttonWells
People
Population
8,429
2,239Lowest
11,713Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+18%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5Lowest
12% above U.S.
48.1±4.1
24% above U.S.
53.6±3.8Highest
38% above U.S.
Wells and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±4
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
18%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Sutton 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%
21.6%±5.9
U.S.: 17.2%
31%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±3.6
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Gray and Sutton 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.
$88,024±$11kLowest
9% 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±$20k
9% above U.S.
$362,600±$16kLowest
9% above U.S.
$485,300±$23kHighest
46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89
about the U.S. average
$1,656±$614Highest
17% above U.S.
$1,350±$297Lowest
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.
$3,215Lowest
3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
27.6%±47.2Lowest
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%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
8% above U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
28 minLowest
4% above U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.8%±5.6
U.S.: 15.1%
17.8%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Wells 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 — #22 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Kearsarge Regional School District Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School Kearsarge Regional High School Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Highest
10.4Lowest
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.