Compare towns
Gorham vs Mechanic Falls
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%).
Mechanic Falls has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Mechanic Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
3,134Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
39.8±4.7Highest 11% below ME |
| Mechanic Falls and Gorham 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% |
24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls 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 ME: 22.4% |
16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gorham and Mechanic Falls 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% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$69,914±$12kLowest 6% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$270,900±$44kLowest 9% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,993Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mechanic Falls and Gorham 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #122 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.