Compare towns
Gorham vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Penobscot
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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Penobscot has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Ogunquit | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
8,429 |
1,379 |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Penobscot 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% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Penobscot 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% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
— | $1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Gray 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | Penobscot 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 | 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.