Compare towns
Solon vs Gray vs Embden vs Bingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Embden has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k 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 | Solon | Gray | Embden | Bingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 963 |
8,429Highest |
995 |
660Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
56±8.2 25% above ME |
| Embden and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5 ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Embden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$56,875±$23k 24% below ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
| Gray and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$173,400±$59k 42% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854 39% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.2% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Embden 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 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 83/MSAD 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
— | 7.3Lowest |
| 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.