Compare towns
Bristol vs Gorham vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the oldest population (median age 61).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Bristol | Gorham | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917Lowest |
18,300Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
| Gorham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.