Compare towns
Appleton vs Gorham vs Windham vs Newburgh
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Newburgh has the most renters (18.8% rent).
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 | Windham | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| 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 |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
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.