Compare towns
Gorham vs Cape Elizabeth vs 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%).
Cape Elizabeth has the most people working from home (31.9%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k 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 | Cape Elizabeth | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300 |
9,606Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
47.4±3.3Highest 6% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest 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%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.7%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
$107,934±$14kLowest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% 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 | $4,825 59% above ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
$3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
5.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #1 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Cape Elizabeth High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.5Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.