Compare towns
Topsham vs North Berwick vs Gray
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).
North Berwick has the most expensive homes ($429k 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 | North Berwick | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
5,129Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% 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% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Topsham 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% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and North Berwick 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% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest 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 |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| North Berwick 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 |
$428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above 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 |
$3,735 23% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Gray 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% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham and North 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Noble High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.0Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.