Compare towns
Gorham vs Dayton 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%).
Dayton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Dayton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
2,313Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Gray and Dayton 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% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Dayton 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% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest 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% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
| Dayton 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 |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% 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 |
$3,872 28% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Dayton 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools | 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 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.