Compare towns
Ludlow vs Gray vs Smyrna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the oldest population (median age 46.1).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Smyrna has the most kids (33.2% under 18).
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 | Ludlow | Gray | Smyrna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 444 |
8,429Highest |
380Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
31±9.6Lowest 31% below ME |
| Ludlow and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
33.2%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Smyrna and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
10.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56k 55% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$117,100±$10kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$425±$63Lowest 63% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
15 minLowest 37% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±6.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Ludlow 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.