Compare towns
Windham vs Carmel vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1985).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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.
| Measure | Windham | Carmel | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
2,941Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Carmel and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest 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+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gorham and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% 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 | $388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.