Compare towns
Braintree vs Gorham vs Saco vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Braintree | Gorham | Saco | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
U.S. 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.