Compare towns
Brunswick vs Ellsworth vs Gorham vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Brunswick | Ellsworth | Gorham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652 |
8,657Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477 47% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Ellsworth Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Ellsworth High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.