Compare towns
Lyman vs Gray vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Alfred has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
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 | Lyman | Gray | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,612 |
8,429Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$342,300±$38kLowest 15% above ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$522 7% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±44.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman 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 | #40 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.