What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gorham has the most homeowners (81.5%).

Boston has the most expensive homes ($732k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gorham	Boston
People
Population	18,300Lowest	666,442Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±2.9Highest about the U.S. average	33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S.
Kids under 18	20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Boston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S.	$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S.	$731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,680±$355Lowest 19% above U.S.	$2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,825Highest 55% above U.S.	$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.
Work from home	19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Boston 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	#258 of 282 in MA
School district	Gorham Public Schools	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston
High school in town	Gorham High School	Boston Latin School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	18.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.