Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Salem vs Gray
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 most kids (24.2% under 18).
Salem has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Lowest |
30,964Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Salem 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Gray 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% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Salem and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Salem School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.