Compare towns
Gorham vs Exeter 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%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k 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 | Exeter | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
1,093Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Gray 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Gorham 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | — | 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.