Compare towns
North Windham vs Acton vs Gorham vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Acton has the oldest population (median age 52.9).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | North Windham | Acton | Gorham | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,417 |
2,721Lowest |
18,300Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3 6% below ME |
52.9±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Acton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$78,750±$15kLowest 5% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
| Gorham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29k 16% above ME |
$334,300±$34k 13% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Lowest 10% above ME |
— | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546 17% above ME |
$2,680Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
40 minHighest 64% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±8.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham 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 | — | #43 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Acton Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gorham High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.