Compare towns
Buxton vs Gorham vs Readfield
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).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512 |
18,300Highest |
2,651Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Readfield 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% |
5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.