Compare towns
North Windham vs Appleton vs Gorham vs Windham
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%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | North Windham | Appleton | Gorham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,417 |
1,360Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3 6% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Appleton and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and North Windham 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% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham 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 |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604 10% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gorham and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546Lowest 17% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 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 | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.