Compare towns
Cornish vs Gorham vs Chesterville vs Bradley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Bradley has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Cornish | Gorham | Chesterville | Bradley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
18,300Highest |
1,397Lowest |
1,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
42.6±9.7Highest 5% below ME |
| Bradley and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.9%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bradley and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$76,667±$28k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$201,800±$37kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,088±$325Lowest 4% below ME |
| Gorham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309 24% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
$1,946Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | — | RSU 34 |
| 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 | 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.