Compare towns
Appleton vs Gorham vs Standish vs Windham
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%).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Standish | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
18,300 |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham 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%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Standish 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 |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham 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 |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Standish 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.