Compare towns
Gorham vs Sumner vs North Windham vs Buxton
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).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | North Windham | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
845Lowest |
5,417 |
8,512 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
42±3 6% below ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Sumner and Buxton 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% |
16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest 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%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$342,800±$29k 16% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— | $1,248±$604Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,613±$266 42% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton 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 |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$3,546 17% above ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
34 min 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Gorham 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 | — | — | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 10 | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| 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 | 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.