Compare towns
Gorham vs Orono
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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
11,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Highest 12% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$272,600±$40kLowest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Lowest 59% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.