Compare towns
Gray vs Swampscott 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 homeowners (82.4%).
Swampscott has the most expensive homes ($771k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
15,277Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.5±3.5 14% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Swampscott 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%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Swampscott and Topsham 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% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Swampscott 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% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$134,386±$23kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$771,100±$41kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,303±$143Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,936Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #76 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Swampscott | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Swampscott High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.7Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.