Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Gorham vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | Bridgewater | Gorham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 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+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% 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 | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 |
| 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 | 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.