Compare towns
Waldo vs Gray vs Chapman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Waldo | Gray | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926 |
8,429Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Chapman and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691Lowest about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— |
| Gray and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.