Compare towns
Buxton vs Carmel 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 most renters (19.7% rent).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Carmel | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512 |
2,941Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Carmel and Buxton 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% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above 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 |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above 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 |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| 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.