Compare towns
Topsham vs Barnstead vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k 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 | Topsham | Barnstead | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
4,994Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$362,400±$25k 9% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Barnstead and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 37% above U.S. |
$6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham and Barnstead 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #111 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Barnstead School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| 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.