Compare towns
Gorham vs Hope vs Readfield
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 highest household income ($112k).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Hope | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
1,748Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Hope 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Gorham 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% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Hope 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% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Gorham and Hope 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 |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Hope 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% |
5.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.