Compare towns
Gray vs Swampscott vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swampscott has the most expensive homes ($771k median).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 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 | Swampscott | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
15,277Highest |
5,766Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.5±3.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Swampscott and Gray 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% |
20.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Swampscott 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% |
20.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Swampscott and Gray 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% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$134,386±$23kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Swampscott and New Gloucester 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. |
$771,100±$41kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,303±$143Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$7,936Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Swampscott and Gray 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% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #76 of 282 in MA | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Swampscott | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Swampscott High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.7Lowest |
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| 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.