Compare towns
Buxton vs Gorham vs Windham vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | Buxton | Gorham | Windham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Lowest |
18,300 |
19,188 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Buxton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.