Compare towns
Buxton vs Gorham vs Wayne vs New Gloucester
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%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Wayne | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512 |
18,300Highest |
1,101Lowest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Gorham 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%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$93,194±$26kLowest 25% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
| Gorham and New Gloucester 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±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,150±$249 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 |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Buxton 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.