Compare towns
Chesterville vs Gorham vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k 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.
| Measure | Chesterville | Gorham | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,397Lowest |
18,300Highest |
4,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
39.5±5.1Highest 12% below ME |
| Jay and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.