Compare towns
Baldwin vs Gorham vs Swanville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baldwin has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Swanville has the most affordable homes ($237k 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 | Baldwin | Gorham | Swanville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,195 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6 13% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
53.2±6.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Swanville and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Swanville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$51,935±$7kLowest 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$237,300±$36kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,191±$113Lowest 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540 16% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,368Lowest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
47.5%±33.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Swanville and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Swanville 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 | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school 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.