Compare towns
Whitefield vs Gray vs Dresden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitefield has the most people working from home (13.5%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Dresden has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
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 | Whitefield | Gray | Dresden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157 |
8,429Highest |
1,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
| Dresden and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
| Gray and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,194±$502 5% above ME |
| Gray and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield 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 | RSU 12 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| 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.