Compare towns
Bremen vs Buxton vs Gorham vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Bremen | Buxton | Gorham | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917Lowest |
8,512 |
18,300Highest |
1,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21k 34% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$93,194±$26kLowest 25% above 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 | $425,300±$28k 43% above ME |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Gorham and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% 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 | $2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bremen 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 | — | #104 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 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.