City Profile

Gorham, Maine

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Gorham is a historic and fast-growing town located in Cumberland County, Maine, originally settled in 1736 and incorporated in 1764. Known for blending a rich agricultural heritage with a burgeoning village center, it serves as an attractive residential and commercial hub in Southern Maine. It is notably home to one of the campuses of the University of Southern Maine, infusing the area with a vibrant college-town energy while preserving its traditional New England character.

About Maine

Maine, known for its rugged coastline and vast forests, offers a lifestyle that prioritizes a slower pace and access to nature. The economy is diverse, with major industries including forest products, marine/aquaculture, food/agriculture, outdoor recreation, and manufacturing, alongside growing sectors like life sciences. While the cost of living is generally moderate compared to other New England states, housing costs can be higher in popular coastal areas like Portland. The climate features warm, sometimes humid summers and long, cold, and very snowy winters, especially inland, with coastal areas experiencing slightly milder temperatures.

19,895

Population

$72K

Avg Salary

108

Cost Index

71.9

Quality Score

How this 72/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 82 / 100	82.0	30%	24.6
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 108.0	33.8	25%	8.4
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $112,312 Income needed to live here: $60,000 Unemployment rate: 2.4%	97.5	20%	19.5
Growth	Population growth rate: 3.41% Job growth rate: 2.1%	81.0	15%	12.2
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 72 / 100	72.0	10%	7.2
Overall score				71.9

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (ungrounded) (q=55, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Gorham tends to run slightly above the national average, driven largely by high demand for suburban and small-town housing near the Portland metropolitan area. While utility and transportation costs remain relatively close to regional baselines, overall expenses are elevated due to climbing property values and competitive rental markets. Everyday goods and services align closely with broader New England standards.

Average Rent

$1,800/mo

Groceries

$400/mo

Transport

$120/mo

Utilities

$180/mo

Healthcare

$250/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$45.00

Cinema ticket

$14.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$22.00

Monthly groceries

$400.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$150.00

Income

Salary Insights

Gorham’s economy is supported by a diversified mix of manufacturing, construction, warehouse distribution, and higher education. The Gorham Industrial Park acts as a major regional engine for employment, alongside growing craft beverage and localized service sectors. Proximity to Portland enables a steady stream of remote and hybrid workers who appreciate the local entrepreneurial climate and small-business support.

The average salary in Gorham is $72,000 per year. You would need approximately $60,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Healthcare & Social Assistance +2.80% Construction & Trades +2.50% Manufacturing & Industrial +2.00% Education & Higher Ed +1.50% Retail & Craft Beverage +2.20%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

47°F

Avg Temp

☀️

79°F

Summer High

❄️

13°F

Winter Low

🌧️

39.00"

Annual Rain

💧

65.00%

Humidity

🌤️

254

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Gorham is primarily a car-dependent community, with most residents driving alone to work via local routes connecting to the Maine Turnpike. The average commute time sits around 30 minutes as workers travel toward Portland and surrounding employment centers. Public transit options are limited, though localized walkability is high directly within the historic village center.

32 min

Avg Commute

40.00/10

Transit Score

58.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median household income in Gorham is robust at $112,312, comfortably outperforming the national average per Census data.

The town boasts a high homeownership rate of roughly 78.8%, reflecting neighborhood stability and community investment.

Gorham maintains low crime rates and a family-friendly profile significantly safer than national norms.

Proximity to the University of Southern Maine infuses the town with cultural events, college athletics, and educational resources.

Abundant outdoor recreational access, including the Presumpscot River and local trail networks.

Drawbacks

Median property values have climbed past $500,000, presenting affordability hurdles for first-time home buyers.

Average rent prices remain elevated, driven by high regional demand across Cumberland County.

Car dependency is high, with limited public mass transit options connecting outlying hamlets.

Average commute times can stretch past 30 minutes during peak hours for workers heading into Portland.

Inventory constraints in the local housing market limit choices for prospective movers.

Head to Head

Compare Gorham

Gorham VS Grants Pass Gorham VS Cincinnati Gorham VS Binghamton Gorham VS Biddeford

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Nearby Cities

Portland

Biddeford

Lewiston

Brunswick

Community Q&A

Questions about Gorham

What people ask about living in and moving to Gorham, Maine.

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Gathering the most common questions about Gorham…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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