Compare towns
Norway vs Gray vs Dexter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norway has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Dexter has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
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 | Norway | Gray | Dexter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,228 |
8,429Highest |
3,822Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±4.9 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
| Dexter and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Norway and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,342±$17k 27% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,800±$29k 27% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$170,600±$52kLowest 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $770±$66Lowest 32% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$838±$119 26% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,057Lowest 32% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,186 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Norway 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 | #79 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #113 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 · Oxford-Region 11 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | MSAD 46 |
| High school in town | Oxford Hills Comprehensive H S | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Dexter Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.5Lowest |
13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.