Compare towns
Brooks vs Gorham vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Brooks | Gorham | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
18,300Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Brooks and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gorham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Gorham and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Waldo 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Gorham Public Schools | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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 |
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.