Compare towns
China vs Gorham vs Windham vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
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 | China | Gorham | Windham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,526Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| China and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12k 29% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kLowest 19% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Gorham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535 17% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.