Compare towns
Jackson vs Gray vs Sorrento
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the most people working from home (15.3%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Sorrento has the youngest population (median age 33.8).
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 | Jackson | Gray | Sorrento |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567 |
8,429Highest |
345Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
33.8±23.7Lowest 25% below ME |
| Gray and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sorrento and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±10Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sorrento and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
51%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±4.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Sorrento are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$83,438±$10k 12% above ME |
| Gray and Sorrento are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$298,800±$38k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,696±$433Highest 49% above ME |
| Sorrento and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,929Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
4.8%±91.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
34 min 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.4%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Gray 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 | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.