Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Gorham vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Bridgewater | Gorham | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484Lowest |
18,300Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Gorham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 53% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.