Compare towns
Cornish vs Gray vs Gorham vs Hiram
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 youngest population (median age 39).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Hiram has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Cornish | Gray | Gorham | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
8,429 |
18,300Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
| Gray and Hiram 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$256,600±$42kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
| Gorham and Gray 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
12.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.