Compare towns
Gray vs Topsham vs Windham vs Berwick
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% 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 | Topsham | Windham | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,706Highest |
594Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Windham 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Topsham 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% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Windham 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% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%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% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7 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±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
| Gray and Berwick 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. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
| Berwick and Gray 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% 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% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Berwick 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and 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 | — | #101 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 | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.