Compare towns
Thorndike vs Gorham vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Jackson has the most renters (21.4% rent).
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 | Thorndike | Gorham | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403 |
18,300Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
39.4±2.9Highest 12% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
| Gorham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317 27% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537Lowest 16% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Gorham 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 03/MSAD 03 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| 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.