Compare towns
North Windham vs Wells vs Gorham
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 affordable homes ($343k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Wells | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,417Lowest |
11,713 |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3 6% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29kLowest 16% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Wells and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Wells 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.