Compare towns
Gorham vs Cape Elizabeth vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Cape Elizabeth has the most people working from home (31.9%).
Freeport has the most renters (22.4% 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 | Cape Elizabeth | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
9,606 |
8,802Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
47.4±3.3 6% above ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.7%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
$107,326±$19kLowest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kLowest 55% above ME |
$731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
$1,439±$123Lowest 26% above ME |
| Cape Elizabeth and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Lowest 59% above ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
5.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
88%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Freeport 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 | #1 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Cape Elizabeth High School | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.5Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.