Compare towns
Buxton vs Gorham vs Kennebunk
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 affordable homes ($357k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Gorham | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Lowest |
18,300Highest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Kennebunk 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kLowest 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
| Gorham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,425±$290Lowest 25% 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 | $3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Kennebunk 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% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| 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.