Compare towns
Cornish vs Gorham vs Saco vs Chesterville
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Gorham | Saco | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309 24% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest 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 |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest 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 | 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.