Compare towns
Dexter vs Gorham vs Windham vs Ripley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dexter has the most renters (33.7% rent).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Ripley has the most affordable homes ($144k 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 | Dexter | Gorham | Windham | Ripley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,822 |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
436Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
47.7±5.3 6% above ME |
| Dexter and Ripley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±6.5 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+ | 19.7%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Dexter and Ripley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$64,821±$13k 13% below 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 | $170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$144,300±$33kLowest 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,091±$281 4% below ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,186 28% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | MSAD 46 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | Gorham High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.9 |
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.