Compare towns
Gray vs Upton vs New Gloucester 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
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Upton | New Gloucester | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,189 |
5,766Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Upton and Topsham 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,150±$249 19% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% 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 | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Topsham 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #65 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— | 12.2 |
| 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.