Compare towns

Gray vs Lyme vs Gorham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).

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.

MeasureGrayLymeGorham
People
Population
8,429
1,710Lowest
18,300Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+11.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5
12% above U.S.
48.6±7.8Highest
25% above U.S.
39.4±2.9Lowest
about the U.S. average
Lyme and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.5%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
20.9%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Gorham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.3%±4
U.S.: 17.2%
26.5%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.5%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
70.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
3.3%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
13.1%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$95,236±$8kLowest
18% above U.S.
$133,906±$15kHighest
66% above U.S.
$112,312±$6k
39% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,700±$20kLowest
9% above U.S.
$645,000±$64kHighest
94% above U.S.
$460,900±$26k
39% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,418±$130
about the U.S. average
$1,680±$355Highest
19% above U.S.
Gorham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,683Lowest
18% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,825
55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±29.8
U.S.: 51.1%
37.9%±8.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1977Lowest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
8% above U.S.
21 minLowest
21% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
27.2%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Lyme and Gorham 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
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Lyme School District Gorham Public Schools
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town Gorham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Lowest
—
12.9Highest
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.