Compare towns
Gorham vs Gray vs Mars Hill
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%).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Gray | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
8,429 |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Gorham 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below 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 |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.5 |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.