Compare towns
Dresden vs Gorham vs Windham vs Alna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
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 | Dresden | Gorham | Windham | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,645 |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
818Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$93,125±$16k 25% 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 | $240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,088±$176Lowest 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 | $2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,667 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alna and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 35% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 02 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School | — |
| 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.