Compare towns
Madison vs Gorham vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most renters (61.1% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Madison | Gorham | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,676 |
18,300Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$218Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Gorham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,740 43% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | — |
| 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.