Compare towns
Gorham vs Gray vs Mount Desert
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 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 | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
8,429 |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% 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 |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| 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.