Compare towns
Perry vs Gray vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Perry has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Perry | Gray | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 744Lowest |
8,429Highest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±11.4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
| Solon and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Perry and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,056±$4k 10% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,400±$13k 34% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,132 3% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 6% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Perry 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Perry Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.