Compare towns
Porter vs Gorham vs Steuben vs Chesterville
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 population (median age 40.9).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% 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 | Porter | Gorham | Steuben | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,746 |
18,300Highest |
1,388Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Porter and Steuben 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Porter and Gorham 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Porter and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.4% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 24 | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.