Compare towns
Windham vs Dayton 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Dayton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Dayton | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
2,313Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
42.1±5.5Highest 6% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Dayton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kLowest 44% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
| Dayton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$3,872Lowest 28% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton 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% |
3.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Dayton Public Schools | 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.