Compare towns

Canton vs Gorham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).

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.

MeasureCantonGorham
People
Population
1,191Lowest
18,300Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+11.9%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.4±7.2Highest
8% below ME
39.4±2.9Lowest
12% below ME
Canton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.4%±4.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
20.9%±3.5Highest
ME: 18.1%
Gorham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.7%±6.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
17.5%±2.5Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.7%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
44.3%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4%±2.5Lowest
ME: 5.8%
13.1%±1.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$52,458±$35kLowest
30% below ME
$112,312±$6kHighest
50% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$165,000±$50kLowest
44% below ME
$460,900±$26kHighest
55% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$485±$18Lowest
57% below ME
$1,680±$355Highest
47% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,277Lowest
25% below ME
$4,825Highest
59% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
88.9%±33.8Highest
ME: 48.4%
37.9%±8.6Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
8.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
3.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
81.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 minHighest
42% above ME
27 minLowest
10% above ME
Work from home
16.1%±6.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
19%±3.7Highest
ME: 15.9%
Gorham and Canton 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 — #24 of 133 in ME
School district — Gorham Public Schools
High school in town — Gorham High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.