Compare towns
Windham vs Brunswick vs Dayton vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Brunswick has the most renters (28.8% rent).
Dayton has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | Windham | Brunswick | Dayton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
22,336Highest |
2,313Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Gray and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Dayton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Dayton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Brunswick High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.9Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.