Compare towns
Gorham vs Palermo vs Gray
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%).
Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k median).
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
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 | Palermo | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
1,473Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Gray 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% |
21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Palermo and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$89,095±$15kLowest 19% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Gorham and Gray 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 |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Palermo 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 12 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| 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.