Compare towns
Gorham vs Brewer vs South Windham
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%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Brewer | South Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
9,652 |
1,212Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
40.1±4.8Highest 10% below ME |
36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
| Brewer and Gorham 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Gorham 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% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
| South Windham 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±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
| South Windham and Gorham 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,941Lowest 3% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Brewer High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
14.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.