Compare towns
Topsham vs Dedham 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%).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
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 | Dedham | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
1,656Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
49.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Topsham 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Dedham 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±$20k 22% above ME |
$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above 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 |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Dedham and Gray 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 |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest 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 | Dedham Public Schools | 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 Our Story | 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.