Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gorham vs Windham vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the oldest population (median age 43).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Ellsworth | Gorham | Windham | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% 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 | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% 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 | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gorham High School | Windham High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.9 |
12.1Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.