Compare towns
Buxton vs Brewer 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).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Brewer | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Lowest |
9,652 |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Buxton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% 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 |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Gorham 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
12.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.