Compare towns
Gorham vs Auburn 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
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
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.
| Measure | Gorham | Auburn | Gray | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
24,602Highest |
8,429Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,687 21% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
22 minLowest 12% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #110 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Edward Little High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
13.1Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.