Compare towns
Gorham vs Surry vs Whitefield
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).
Surry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Surry | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
1,836Lowest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Whitefield 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Whitefield 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 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| 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.