Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Salem vs Poland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Salem has the most expensive homes ($543k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Salem | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Lowest |
44,795Highest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5 3% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±9.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Poland and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Poland and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$85,557±$23k 6% above U.S. |
| New Gloucester and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29k 7% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$283,600±$44kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,198±$128 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 10% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$2,774Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.6%±30.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Poland and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Poland and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Salem | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.