Compare towns
Topsham vs Bellows Falls 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%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Bellows Falls | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
2,891Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% 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% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls 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% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Bellows Falls 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% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls 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±$10k 13% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$4,448Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.