Compare towns
Brookfield vs Gorham vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Brookfield | Gorham | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
18,300Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Gorham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Gorham Public Schools | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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 |
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.