Compare towns
Orono vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono | Gorham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,902Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
39.4±2.9Highest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,600±$40kLowest 8% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$4,825Lowest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.