Compare towns

Gray vs Topsham vs White River Junction

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 highest household income ($95k).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).

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.

MeasureGrayTopshamWhite River Junction
People
Population
8,429
9,706Highest
3,364Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5
12% above U.S.
44.7±4Highest
15% above U.S.
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
Topsham and Gray 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%
19.9%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.1%±5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Topsham and Gray 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%
24.4%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Topsham 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%
50%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
38.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.1Lowest
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±$8kHighest
18% above U.S.
$91,028±$10k
13% above U.S.
$77,168±$4kLowest
4% below U.S.
Gray and Topsham 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.
$360,800±$20k
8% above U.S.
$278,800±$78kLowest
16% below U.S.
Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,355±$642
4% below U.S.
$1,222±$216Lowest
14% below U.S.
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
18% above U.S.
$4,259
37% above U.S.
$5,651Highest
81% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±17.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and White River Junction 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%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
12.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1963Lowest
17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
8% above U.S.
24 min
11% below U.S.
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.2%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Topsham and White River Junction 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 RSU 75/MSAD 75 —
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School Mt Ararat High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Highest
12.2Lowest
—
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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.