Compare towns
Topsham vs Chapman vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Chapman | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
388Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Chapman and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Chapman 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 22% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
| 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±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 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.