Compare towns
Gray vs Windham vs South 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
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% 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 | Windham | South Berwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
19,188Highest |
7,670Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| South 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% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 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±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Windham and South 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 |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| South Berwick and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and South 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | Marshwood High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
13.0Highest |
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.