What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gorham has the most people working from home (19%).

Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gorham	Lynn
People
Population	18,300Lowest	101,709Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±2.9Highest about the U.S. average	36.5±1.2Lowest 6% below U.S.
	Gorham and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	24.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lynn and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S.	$75,043±$3kLowest 7% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S.	$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,680±$355Lowest 19% above U.S.	$1,722±$60Highest 22% above U.S.
	Lynn and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S.	$5,384Highest 73% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	32 minHighest 19% above U.S.
Work from home	19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#24 of 133 in ME	#277 of 282 in MA
School district	Gorham Public Schools	Lynn
High school in town	Gorham High School	Lynn English High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	15.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.