Compare towns
South Windham vs Gray vs Mapleton vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | South Windham | Gray | Mapleton | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,212 |
8,429Highest |
1,884 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Gray and South Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| South Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,941 3% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham and Waldo 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 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | 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.