Compare towns
Wilder vs Gray vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Wilder | Gray | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,087Lowest |
8,429Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Gray and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505 76% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.