Compare towns
Gorham vs Hermon vs New Gloucester vs South Berwick
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 people working from home (19%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
New Gloucester has the most homeowners (82.9%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% 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 | Hermon | New Gloucester | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
6,727 |
5,766Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
41.1±4.7Highest 8% below ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Hermon and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Gorham 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$96,629±$22kLowest 29% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Gorham and New Gloucester 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 |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Gorham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| South Berwick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825 59% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick 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% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and South Berwick 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Hermon High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— | 13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.