What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).

Deer Isle has the oldest population (median age 52.6).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gorham	Deer Isle
People
Population	18,300Highest	2,470Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6%	+11.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME	52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME
Kids under 18	20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1%	14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Gorham and Deer Isle 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%	24.8%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest ME: 36.2%	35.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME	$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME	$308,300±$42kLowest 4% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,680±$355Lowest 47% above ME	$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME
	Deer Isle 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	$1,890Lowest 38% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4%	25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Gorham and Deer Isle 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%	19.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%	85.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 10% above ME	20 minLowest 17% below ME
Work from home	19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Deer Isle 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	—
School district	Gorham Public Schools	Deer Isle-Stonington CSD
High school in town	Gorham High School	Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	8.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.