Compare towns
Buxton vs Jay vs Gorham vs Winslow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Winslow has the most renters (23.9% rent).
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 | Jay | Gorham | Winslow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512 |
4,657Lowest |
18,300Highest |
8,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
47.6±3.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Winslow 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% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.3%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Jay 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% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winslow and Jay 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% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$70,917±$9k 5% below 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$225,300±$11k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,041±$221 9% below 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 |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,809 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.7%±9.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #57 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 73 | Gorham Public Schools | Winslow Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Gorham High School | Winslow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
12.9Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| 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.