Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Gorham vs Blaine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the oldest population (median age 46.7).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Blaine has the shortest commute (19 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 | Starks | Mapleton | Gorham | Blaine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,884 |
18,300Highest |
706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.3±17 3% above ME |
| Starks and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Blaine and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±7.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$80,707±$24k 8% above ME |
| Gorham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$691±$303 39% below ME |
| Gorham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
20%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 | 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.