Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,244Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.