Compare towns
Edgecomb vs Gorham vs Hope vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Edgecomb has the oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k 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 | Edgecomb | Gorham | Hope | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,251Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,748 |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±8.8 8% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Hope and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±7.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Edgecomb and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±6.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,750±$18k 46% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
| Gorham and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $348,400±$36k 17% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
| Gorham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,577 18% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±43.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 10% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Palermo 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Edgecomb Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.