Compare towns
Topsham vs Mapleton vs Gray vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k 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 | Mapleton | Gray | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
1,884Lowest |
8,429 |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Freeport 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 40% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.