Compare towns
Orrington vs Gorham vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orrington has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Belgrade has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
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 | Orrington | Gorham | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,853 |
18,300Highest |
3,351Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Orrington and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$88,338±$13kLowest 18% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$49kLowest 4% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,167±$135 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade 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 | #41 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Orrington Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
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| 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.