Compare towns
Gorham vs Carmel vs Gray
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%).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
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 | Carmel | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
2,941Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Carmel and Gray 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% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Gray 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray 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% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Gorham and Gray 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 |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Gray 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| 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.