Compare towns
Brewer vs Durham vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brewer | Durham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Lowest |
15,080 |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Highest 3% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Brewer and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Durham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Durham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #9 of 120 in NH | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Oyster River Coop School District | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Oyster River High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.3Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.