Compare towns
Jackson vs Gorham vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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.
| Measure | Jackson | Gorham | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Jackson 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.