Compare towns
Topsham vs Gray vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
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 | Gray | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
8,429 |
2,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
| Bristol 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 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
| Bristol and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Topsham 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 | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Bristol Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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| 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.