Compare towns
Gray vs Wells vs Berwick vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
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 | Wells | Berwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
11,713Highest |
8,175Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 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±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| 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 23% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| 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 ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Wells High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.