Compare towns
Porter vs Gorham vs Gray vs Steuben
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has the oldest housing (typical home built 1978).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k 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 | Porter | Gorham | Gray | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,746 |
18,300Highest |
8,429 |
1,388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9 9% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
| Gray and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Porter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Porter 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| 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.