Compare towns

New Gloucester vs Townsend 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 people working from home (14.2%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k 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.

MeasureNew GloucesterTownsendGray
People
Population
5,766Lowest
9,100Highest
8,429
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.1±5.5Lowest
3% above U.S.
40.9±3.3
5% above U.S.
43.4±4.5Highest
12% above U.S.
Gray and Townsend 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%
21%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
19%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
New Gloucester and Townsend 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%
17.1%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Gray and Townsend 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%
35.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Gray and Townsend 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.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$95,236±$8kLowest
18% above U.S.
Townsend 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.
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
$363,700±$20k
9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,150±$249Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,371±$89
about the U.S. average
Townsend and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,417Lowest
10% above U.S.
$6,031Highest
93% above U.S.
$3,683
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
24.7%±12Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and Townsend 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%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1991Highest
11 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 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
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
29 min
8% above U.S.
Work from home
14.2%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
New Gloucester 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 #65 of 133 in ME #136 of 282 in MA #10 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 North Middlesex RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town None in town North Middlesex Regional Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.1Highest
12.5Lowest
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.