Compare towns
Peru vs Gorham vs Dorset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Peru | Gorham | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
2,682Highest |
2,092 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5 18% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
| Peru and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 20% above U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820 10% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,420±$296Highest about the U.S. average |
| Dorset and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,334Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Peru 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 | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.