Compare towns
Gorham vs Harrison vs Whitefield
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%).
Harrison has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Harrison | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
2,513 |
2,157Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
| Harrison and Whitefield 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% |
9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Whitefield 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% |
29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$249,300±$70k 16% below ME |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$885±$193Lowest 22% below ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,731 10% below ME |
$2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison 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 | — | — |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.