Compare towns
Brookline 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
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Brookline | Gorham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 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 | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 |
| 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.