Compare towns
Jay vs Gray vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Jay | Gray | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Jay and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,938Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Windham 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 |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.