Compare towns
Durham vs Gray vs Gorham vs Sidney
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 people working from home (20.9%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% 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 | Durham | Gray | Gorham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
8,429 |
18,300Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Gray and Sidney 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% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.