Compare towns
Alna vs Edgecomb vs Gorham vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Edgecomb has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Waldo has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Alna | Edgecomb | Gorham | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 818Lowest |
1,251 |
18,300Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
41±8.8Highest 8% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Edgecomb and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±7.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Edgecomb and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8%±6.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16k 25% above ME |
$108,750±$18k 46% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
| Gorham and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
$348,400±$36k 17% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
— | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Gorham and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667 21% above ME |
$3,577 18% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±43.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Alna 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 | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Edgecomb Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.