Compare towns
Gorham vs Oakland vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
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 | Oakland | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
6,309 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and Oakland 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% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Sidney 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% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Oakland 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% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Gorham and Sidney 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 |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Sidney 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 | #23 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 18 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Messalonskee High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
14.2Highest |
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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.