Compare towns
Deerfield vs Gorham vs Lee vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Deerfield | Gorham | Lee | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
18,300Highest |
5,719 |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 33% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k 31% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 25% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
18 min 31% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Gorham 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME | #209 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Gorham Public Schools | Lee | Triton |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Gorham High School | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.9Highest |
9.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.