Compare towns
Carmel vs Gorham vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
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 | Carmel | Gorham | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
18,300Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Carmel and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Gray 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.