Compare towns
Gorham vs Kennebunk vs Buxton
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%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k 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 | Kennebunk | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
11,820 |
8,512Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$100,144±$21kLowest 34% above ME |
| Gorham and Kennebunk 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 |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
$1,613±$266 42% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Kennebunk 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% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 21 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.