Compare towns
Raymond vs Exeter vs Gray vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Raymond has the most people working from home (32.3%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Raymond | Exeter | Gray | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,610 |
1,093Lowest |
8,429Highest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±4.1 6% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Exeter and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.5 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,194±$20k 18% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Gray and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,800±$42kHighest 33% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Raymond and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $965±$397 15% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Gray and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,139 3% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 50% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.3%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Raymond and Belgrade 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 | #112 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 18 |
| 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 | 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.