Compare towns
Sidney vs Gorham vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
West Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Sidney | Gorham | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
18,300Highest |
3,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| Gorham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$305,100±$42kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
| Gorham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.