Compare towns
Gorham vs Sumner vs Beals
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%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Sumner | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
845 |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
| Sumner and Beals 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Sumner 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% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Sumner 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Sumner 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 | — | — |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 10 | Beals Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | 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.