What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gorham has the most homeowners (71.6%).

Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gorham	Augusta
People
Population	2,682Lowest	19,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S.	42.5±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Augusta and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gorham and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,275±$7kHighest 24% below U.S.	$47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S.	$201,000±$18kHighest 40% below U.S.
	Augusta and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S.	$919±$79Highest 35% below U.S.
	Augusta and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,334Highest 39% above U.S.	$2,465Lowest 21% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Augusta and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.	19 minLowest 29% below U.S.
Work from home	1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#57 of 120 in NH	#119 of 133 in ME
School district	Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District	Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy
High school in town	Gorham High School	Cony
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	17.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.