Compare towns
Gray vs Gorham vs Buxton vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Buxton has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Gorham | Buxton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
18,300Highest |
8,512 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Buxton and Topsham 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.9Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.