Compare towns
Brunswick vs Topsham 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 most renters (33.7% rent).
Topsham has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Topsham | Gorham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652 |
7,271Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.7% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
45.6±4.9Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Topsham and Saco 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% |
20.9%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3% ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 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 |
$100,024±$18k 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
$388,500±$24k 31% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,491±$1k 31% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Topsham 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 |
$4,431Lowest 46% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±14.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 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 |
24 min 3% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±4.7 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 | #66 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 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.