Compare towns
West Bath vs Windham vs Gorham vs Phippsburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Phippsburg has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
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 | West Bath | Windham | Gorham | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
19,188Highest |
18,300 |
2,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kLowest 38% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,833±$19k 44% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$335,800±$47kLowest 13% above ME |
| Gorham and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516 16% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.