Compare towns
Exeter vs Gorham vs Sumner vs Windham
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%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 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 | Exeter | Gorham | Sumner | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
18,300 |
845Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% 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 | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 10 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.