Compare towns

Cornish 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

Cornish has the most affordable homes ($274k 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.

MeasureCornishGorhamSaco
People
Population
1,803Lowest
18,300
20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+11.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+10.3%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
39±8.5Lowest
13% below ME
39.4±2.9
12% below ME
44.9±1.5Highest
about the ME average
Kids under 18
18.2%±3.3
ME: 18.1%
20.9%±3.5Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.7%±2.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Gorham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.4%±4.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
17.5%±2.5
ME: 22.4%
18.5%±2.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
Saco and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
44.3%Highest
ME: 36.2%
43.5%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±1.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
13.1%±1.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
5.2%±1.2
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,038±$4kLowest
8% below ME
$112,312±$6kHighest
50% above ME
$92,241±$11k
23% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$274,200±$84kLowest
8% below ME
$460,900±$26kHighest
55% above ME
$413,100±$17k
39% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,196±$148Lowest
5% above ME
$1,680±$355Highest
47% above ME
$1,249±$385
10% above ME
Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,309Lowest
24% below ME
$4,825Highest
59% above ME
$4,807
58% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.8%±17.5
ME: 48.4%
37.9%±8.6Lowest
ME: 48.4%
50.3%±14Highest
ME: 48.4%
Saco and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.3%
ME: 10.7%
3.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
6.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.1%Highest
ME: 74.3%
81.5%
ME: 74.3%
72.8%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
1 yr older than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1982
5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
27% above ME
27 min
10% above ME
24 minLowest
3% below ME
Work from home
8.5%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
19%±3.7Highest
ME: 15.9%
19%±3.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
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

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.