Compare towns
Buxton vs Gray 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 highest household income ($100k).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Gray | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512 |
8,429Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% 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% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Buxton 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Buxton and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Buxton and Gray 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Saco 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Gray 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.