Compare towns
Topsham vs Mapleton vs Gray vs Lisbon
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Lisbon has the youngest population (median age 38.4).
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 | Mapleton | Gray | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
1,884Lowest |
8,429 |
9,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest 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±$10k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
| Gray and Mapleton 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±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$258,300±$26k 13% below 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±$642 19% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$979±$286 14% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,324 9% 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%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Lisbon 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% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
29 minHighest 17% above 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% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5 |
15.8Highest |
| 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.