Compare towns
Windham vs Eliot vs Gorham vs Gray
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 most homeowners (84.6%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Windham | Eliot | Gorham | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
7,146Lowest |
18,300 |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Eliot and Gray 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Gray 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% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% 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 |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Eliot and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Eliot and Gorham 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 |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.