Compare towns
Brighton vs Gorham vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | Brighton | Gorham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brighton School District | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.