Compare towns
Bowdoinham vs Gorham vs Orrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoinham has the most people working from home (22%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Orrington has the most affordable homes ($309k 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 | Bowdoinham | Gorham | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,142Lowest |
18,300Highest |
3,853 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.5±3.3 10% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±6.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,479±$21k 45% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$94,556±$10kLowest 27% above ME |
| Gorham and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,500±$105k 37% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$309,000±$49kLowest 4% above ME |
| Gorham and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,167±$135Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,958 about the ME average |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Gorham Public Schools | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.