Compare towns
Prospect vs Gorham vs Bucksport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Bucksport has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Prospect | Gorham | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
18,300Highest |
3,105 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
53.6±9.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Bucksport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$62,011±$4kLowest 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$214,300±$71k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$855±$77Lowest 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979 35% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,801Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
58%±54Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
68.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Bucksport 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 | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.