Compare towns
Biddeford vs North Windham vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
North Windham has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Biddeford | North Windham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
5,417Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42±3Highest 6% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| North Windham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| North Windham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$342,800±$29kLowest 16% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,248±$604Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 45% above ME |
$3,546Lowest 17% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Gorham 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | — | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | — | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 12.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.