Compare towns
Standish vs Windham vs Gorham vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Standish | Windham | Gorham | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
19,188Highest |
18,300 |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,516±$1k 33% above ME |
| Gorham and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.