Compare towns
Bath vs Buxton vs Gorham vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 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 | Bath | Buxton | Gorham | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,512 |
18,300Highest |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,059 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1948 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Gorham High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.9 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.