Compare towns
Sullivan vs Gorham vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Sullivan | Gorham | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,246Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
| Strong and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228 27% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Strong 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 | RSU 24 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.