Compare towns
Gray vs Topsham vs North Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
North Berwick has the most expensive homes ($429k median).
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 | Topsham | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,706Highest |
5,129Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
| North Berwick 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 23% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
| 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 21% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick 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 ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham and North Berwick 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 | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.2 |
12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.