Compare towns
Whitefield vs Gray vs Jefferson
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 affordable homes ($242k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% 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 | Whitefield | Gray | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157Lowest |
8,429Highest |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
| Whitefield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Gray 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%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Jefferson 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 |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
| Gray and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$311,600±$35k 5% above ME |
| Gray and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Lowest 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 | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Jefferson Public Schools |
| 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 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.