Compare towns
Jackson vs Gorham vs Monroe vs Thorndike
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 most renters (21.4% rent).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Monroe has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Monroe | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,001 |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Monroe 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.