What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colebrook has the most affordable homes ($192k median).

Gorham has the most people working from home (19%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Colebrook	Gorham
People
Population	1,988Lowest	18,300Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.7±4.9Highest 38% above U.S.	39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	27.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,159±$6kLowest 37% below U.S.	$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$192,200±$59kLowest 42% below U.S.	$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$750±$238Lowest 47% below U.S.	$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,350Lowest 39% above U.S.	$4,825Highest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±19.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Colebrook and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#24 of 133 in ME
School district	Colebrook School District	Gorham Public Schools
High school in town	Colebrook Academy and Elementary School (H)	Gorham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.4Lowest	12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

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.