Compare towns
Windham vs Gorham vs Ellsworth vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Gorham | Ellsworth | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
18,300 |
8,657Lowest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
| Ellsworth 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gorham 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Standish 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Gorham High School | Ellsworth High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.7 |
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.