Compare towns
Gorham vs North Windham vs Paris
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%).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Paris has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | North Windham | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
5,417 |
5,317Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
42±3 6% below ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
| Paris and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and North Windham 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% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$75,137±$20kLowest about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$342,800±$29k 16% above ME |
$240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,248±$604Lowest 10% above ME |
— |
| Gorham and North Windham 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 |
$3,546 17% above ME |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.1% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Paris 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 | — | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | — | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.