Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Gorham vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Porter has the most homeowners (87.4%).
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 | Steep Falls | Gorham | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,861 |
18,300Highest |
1,746Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.9±7.9 9% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest 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+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Porter and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Gorham and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1kLowest 33% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% 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 | $3,273 8% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Porter 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 | — | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.