Compare towns
Westbrook vs Williston vs Gorham vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Gorham has the most homeowners (81.5%).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Williston | Gorham | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,775 |
10,144Lowest |
18,300 |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.4±1 4% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Williston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Biddeford 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 5% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$396,600±$25k 19% above U.S. |
| Williston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74 about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Williston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$4,401 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT | #24 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Gorham Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | None in town | Gorham High School | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 12.9 |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.