Compare towns
North Windham vs Wayne vs Gorham vs Standish
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Wayne | Gorham | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,417 |
1,101Lowest |
18,300Highest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3 6% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and North 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 18% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
| Gorham and Standish 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$336,000±$18kLowest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604 10% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below 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 | $3,546 17% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | RSU 38 | 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 |
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.