Compare towns
Topsham vs Gorham vs Gray vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Freeport has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Topsham | Gorham | Gray | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
18,300Highest |
8,429Lowest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
| Gorham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
| Freeport and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
| Gorham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 40% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.5 |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.