Compare towns
Prospect vs Gorham vs Searsport
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%).
Searsport has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
18,300Highest |
2,655 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
42.9±7.2 4% below ME |
| Prospect and Searsport 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% |
15.8%±5.7Lowest 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% |
23.7%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Searsport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$64,303±$19kLowest 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$224,400±$78k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,105±$87Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,225 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Searsport and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
69.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsport 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| 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.