Compare towns
Gorham vs Gray vs Jackson vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Jackson has the most affordable homes ($232k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Gray | Jackson | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
8,429 |
567Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,355±$642 19% 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,651Lowest 13% below ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Topsham 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.5 |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.