Compare towns
Limestone vs Gorham vs Fort Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Fort Fairfield has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Limestone | Gorham | Fort Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
18,300Highest |
3,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.7±6.6Highest 11% above ME |
| Fort Fairfield and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.5%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Fort Fairfield and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$70,852±$16k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$161,000±$27k 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$945±$738 17% below ME |
| Gorham and Fort Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,838 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
73.6%±77.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Fort Fairfield and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Limestone 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 | #72 of 133 in ME |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 86/MSAD 20 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Gorham High School | Fort Fairfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.9Highest |
10.2 |
| 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.