What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Townsend	Gorham
People
Population	9,100Lowest	18,300Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.	39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	20.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gorham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.	$112,312±$6kLowest 39% above U.S.
	Townsend and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.	$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S.
	Gorham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S.
	Gorham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#24 of 133 in ME
School district	North Middlesex	Gorham Public Schools
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Gorham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.