Compare towns
Exeter vs Gorham vs Gray vs Bradford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
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 | Exeter | Gorham | Gray | Bradford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
18,300Highest |
8,429 |
1,254 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
49.7±8 11% above ME |
| Exeter and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$82,955±$26kLowest 11% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$176,200±$15k 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$742±$392Lowest 35% below ME |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,315 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
87.5%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bradford and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
86.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.