Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Freeport vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
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 | New Gloucester | Freeport | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Lowest |
8,802Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and New Gloucester 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 05 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.