Compare towns
Gray vs Williston 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
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Williston | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
10,144Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Gray 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Williston 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 9% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.