Compare towns
Gray vs Gorham vs Carmel
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
18,300Highest |
2,941Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
| Carmel 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest 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+ | 19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Gorham 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% 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 | $3,683 21% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Gray 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 | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.