Compare towns
Gorham vs Lee vs North Windham vs Buxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Lee | North Windham | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
5,719 |
5,417Lowest |
8,512 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
42±3 8% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$88,522±$8k 10% above U.S. |
$100,144±$21k 24% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19k 6% above U.S. |
$342,800±$29kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$356,800±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,248±$604Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,613±$266 14% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,980 28% above U.S. |
$3,546 14% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±14.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Windham 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | — | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Lee | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Lee Middle/High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.2Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.