Compare towns
Chesterville vs Gorham vs New Sharon
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%).
New Sharon has the most affordable homes ($171k 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 | New Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,397Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,550 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
43.9±8.9Highest about the ME average |
| New Sharon 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% |
20%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$63,889±$21k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$171,200±$21kLowest 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$961±$55Lowest 16% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,889Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
61%±38Highest ME: 48.4% |
| New Sharon and Gorham 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.