Compare towns
North Windham vs Middlesex vs Gorham vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
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 | Middlesex | Gorham | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,417 |
1,943Lowest |
18,300Highest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±3 8% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.5±2.8 4% above U.S. |
| Middlesex 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29k 3% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604 12% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546 14% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and North Windham 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 | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gorham High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.