Compare towns
Berwick vs Gorham vs Saco vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Franklin has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Berwick | Gorham | Saco | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$245,800±$59kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806 25% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$2,231Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | 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.