Compare towns
Eliot vs Gray vs Kittery vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Eliot | Gray | Kittery | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,429 |
10,473 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest 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+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 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 | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 50% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Saco 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Kittery Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.