Compare towns
South Windham vs Gray vs Gorham vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | South Windham | Gray | Gorham | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,212Lowest |
8,429 |
18,300Highest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and South Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
| South Windham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| South Windham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,941 3% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.