Compare towns

Sumner vs Gorham vs Gray

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).

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.

MeasureSumnerGorhamGray
People
Population
845Lowest
18,300Highest
8,429
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.9%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+11.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+6.5%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
56.1±8.4Highest
25% above ME
39.4±2.9Lowest
12% below ME
43.4±4.5
3% below ME
Sumner and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.2%±6.9Lowest
ME: 18.1%
20.9%±3.5Highest
ME: 18.1%
19%±4
ME: 18.1%
Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
29.7%±5.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
17.5%±2.5Lowest
ME: 22.4%
19.3%±4
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
44.3%
ME: 36.2%
44.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±1.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
13.1%±1.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±2.2
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$57,750±$19kLowest
23% below ME
$112,312±$6kHighest
50% above ME
$95,236±$8k
27% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$150,000±$73kLowest
49% below ME
$460,900±$26kHighest
55% above ME
$363,700±$20k
23% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,680±$355Highest
47% above ME
$1,371±$89Lowest
20% above ME
Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,167Lowest
29% below ME
$4,825Highest
59% above ME
$3,683
21% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
37.9%±8.6Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±24
ME: 48.4%
Sumner and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.8%Highest
ME: 10.7%
3.7%
ME: 10.7%
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.1%Highest
ME: 74.3%
81.5%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
82.4%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
same as ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1983
6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
42 minHighest
72% above ME
27 minLowest
10% above ME
29 min
16% above ME
Work from home
18.5%±8
ME: 15.9%
19%±3.7Highest
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Gorham and Sumner 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 #10 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 10 Gorham Public Schools RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town None in town Gorham High School Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.9Highest
12.5Lowest
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.