Compare towns
Durham vs Gorham vs Windham vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 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 | Durham | Gorham | Windham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% 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 | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Gorham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Lowest 25% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.