Compare towns
Topsham vs Sidney 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 most people working from home (17.2%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Sidney | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
4,790Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5Lowest 4% 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 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% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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±$10k 22% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham 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 |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above 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 |
$1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
$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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 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.