Compare towns
North Windham vs Needham vs Gorham
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 most affordable homes ($343k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Needham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,417Lowest |
32,459Highest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±3 8% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Needham 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%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Windham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Needham | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.