Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Gorham vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Westfield has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Mars Hill | Gorham | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398 |
18,300Highest |
389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-17.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
47.5±5Highest 6% above ME |
| Westfield and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
8.7%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Westfield and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$52,917±$17kLowest 29% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$134,400±$61kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$950±$175 17% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843 39% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,550Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±31.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Westfield 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.