Compare towns
Gorham vs Gray vs Readfield vs Hampden
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%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Readfield | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
8,429 |
2,651Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Readfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$1,286±$317 13% 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 |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest 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% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Hampden 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 38 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.5 |
11.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.