Compare towns
Topsham vs Fair Haven 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%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Fair Haven | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
2,724Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
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%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Fair Haven 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$10k 13% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% 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. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% 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. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% 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 | $4,259Highest 37% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Fair Haven 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% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% 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 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.