Compare towns
Middleton vs Gray vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most affordable homes ($312k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Wakefield has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
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 | Middleton | Gray | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,595Lowest |
8,429Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±5.7 12% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,300±$27kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$322,800±$43k about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,504Highest 76% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Middleton 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 | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Middleton School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wakefield School District |
| 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 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.