Compare towns
Reading vs Gray vs Peacham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Peacham has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Reading | Gray | Peacham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
8,429Highest |
887 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.1±5.7 29% above U.S. |
| Reading and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Peacham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peacham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$90,000±$28k 11% above U.S. |
| Gray and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$302,000±$64kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Reading and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,028±$248Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Gray and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,605 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peacham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±16.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Peacham and Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Peacham School District |
| 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 |
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.