Compare towns
Cushing vs Gorham vs Windham vs Owls Head
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 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 | Cushing | Gorham | Windham | Owls Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
1,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
39.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$87,325±$7k 17% 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 | $409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$413,300±$43k 39% above ME |
| Gorham and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,191±$386Lowest 5% above ME |
| Gorham and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 30% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$2,981Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 13 |
| 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.