Compare towns
Gorham vs Ashland vs Windham vs Buxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ashland has the most expensive homes ($612k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k 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 | Gorham | Ashland | Windham | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
18,873 |
19,188Highest |
8,512Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Buxton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Buxton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11kHighest 58% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$100,144±$21kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$356,800±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,613±$266 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825 55% above U.S. |
$7,444Highest 139% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashland and Gorham 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 | #42 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Ashland | RSU 14 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Ashland High | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
14.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.