Compare towns
Westbrook vs Palmyra vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Westbrook | Palmyra | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775Highest |
2,209Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.4±1 17% below ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
39.4±2.9Highest 12% below ME |
| Gorham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Westbrook and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005 32% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | — | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | — | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.