Compare towns
Baldwin vs Gorham vs Saco vs Dixmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baldwin has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Dixmont has the most affordable homes ($191k 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 | Baldwin | Gorham | Saco | Dixmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
1,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6 13% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
50.9±4.7Highest 14% above ME |
| Dixmont and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
24.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8kLowest 9% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$75,952±$14k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$190,700±$22kLowest 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,348±$62 18% above ME |
| Gorham and Dixmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540 16% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$1,548Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.2%±70.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Dixmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 32% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
35 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dixmont and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 19 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.