Compare towns
Somerville vs Gray vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Gray has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% 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 | Somerville | Gray | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Gray and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
| Somerville and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505 17% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Chesterville 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 12 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| 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.