Compare towns
Dedham vs Gorham vs Saco vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Dedham | Gorham | Saco | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18k 49% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Gorham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Gorham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 30% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 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 | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.