Compare towns
Lagrange vs Gray vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Chester has the oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
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 | Lagrange | Gray | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 709 |
8,429Highest |
598Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±13.8Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
44±10 about the ME average |
| Lagrange and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,417±$14kLowest 22% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$64,500±$8k 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$833±$51 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $869Lowest 71% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,378 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±37.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Chester 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.