Compare towns
Buxton vs Bath vs Standish vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Buxton | Bath | Standish | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Lowest |
8,815 |
10,662 |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Buxton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 13% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.