Compare towns
Rochester vs Gorham vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% rent).
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 | Rochester | Gorham | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
18,300Highest |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$939±$19 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.