Compare towns
Gorham vs Appleton vs Windham vs Buxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
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 | Gorham | Appleton | Windham | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
1,360Lowest |
19,188Highest |
8,512 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 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+ | 17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% 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 | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,613±$266 42% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| 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.