Compare towns
Windham vs Oakland 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 population (median age 41.8).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Oakland | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
6,309Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Highest 7% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Windham and Oakland 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% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Gorham 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% |
18.2%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Oakland 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% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% 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 |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below 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 |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 18 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Messalonskee High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
14.2Highest |
12.9 |
| 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.