Compare towns
Athens vs Gorham vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Athens | Gorham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 791Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2Highest 6% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Athens and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% 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 | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above 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 | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Athens 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 |
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.