Compare towns
Thorndike vs Gorham vs Unity
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).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
39.4±2.9Highest 12% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Gorham 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | Gorham High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.4 |
| 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.