Compare towns
Appleton vs Gorham vs Searsmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Searsmont has the most homeowners (90.6%).
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 | Appleton | Gorham | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Gorham and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Searsmont 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 | Appleton Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| 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 |
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.