Compare towns
Gray vs Eliot vs Gorham vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Gray | Eliot | Gorham | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,146 |
18,300Highest |
5,766Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
| Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
| Gorham and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
| Eliot and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
| Eliot and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Eliot 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.