Compare towns
Gorham vs Waterville vs North Windham 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%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Waterville | North Windham | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300Highest |
17,077 |
5,417Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
42±3 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Gray and North Windham 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±4.1 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% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and North Windham 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$342,800±$29k 16% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,248±$604 10% 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,546 17% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Waterville Senior High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.8 |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| 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.