Compare towns
Clarendon vs Gorham vs Windham vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Clarendon | Gorham | Windham | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,460Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.3±4.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Clarendon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,609±$12kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,900±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$305 22% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,740Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±27.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Clarendon and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 40% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Mill River Union High School | Gorham High School | Windham High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4 |
12.9Highest |
12.1 |
8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. 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.