Compare towns
Topsham vs Hampden vs Gray vs South Berwick
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%).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
South Berwick has the most expensive homes ($428k median).
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 | Hampden | Gray | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
7,896 |
8,429 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Hampden 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% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest 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% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden 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 |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Hampden and South Berwick 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 |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 40% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest 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 |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and South Berwick 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 22 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Hampden Academy | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
12.5 |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.