Compare towns
Gorham vs Middlesex vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Middlesex has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Middlesex | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,093Highest |
1,407 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±8.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
55.3±6Highest 42% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,874±$8kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$75,750±$21k 6% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,300±$27k 21% below U.S. |
$208,100±$62kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$208 18% below U.S. |
$1,406±$672Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,497 12% above U.S. |
$3,459Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.6%±21.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.1%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gorham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Strafford 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 | #246 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | MARCUS WHITMAN HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.