Compare towns

Gorham vs Augusta 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).
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k 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.

MeasureGorhamAugustaGraySaco
People
Population
18,300
19,077
8,429Lowest
20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+11.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-1.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+6.5%
ME: +2.6%
+10.3%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
39.4±2.9Lowest
12% below ME
42.5±2.4
5% 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%±3.5Highest
ME: 18.1%
18.9%±2.6
ME: 18.1%
19%±4
ME: 18.1%
16.7%±2.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Gorham and Gray 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%
21.5%±2.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
19.3%±4
ME: 22.4%
18.5%±2.1
ME: 22.4%
Augusta 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%
28.9%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%
3.6%±1.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±2.2
ME: 5.8%
5.2%±1.2
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$112,312±$6kHighest
50% above ME
$47,979±$3kLowest
36% below ME
$95,236±$8k
27% above ME
$92,241±$11k
23% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$460,900±$26kHighest
55% above ME
$201,000±$18kLowest
32% below ME
$363,700±$20k
23% above ME
$413,100±$17k
39% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,680±$355Highest
47% above ME
$919±$79Lowest
19% 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
$2,465Lowest
19% below ME
$3,683
21% above ME
$4,807
58% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.9%±8.6Lowest
ME: 48.4%
49.2%±8.3
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
50.3%±14
ME: 48.4%
Gray and Saco 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%
18.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
6.4%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.5%
ME: 74.3%
53.8%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
1965Lowest
12 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
19 minLowest
24% below ME
29 minHighest
16% above ME
24 min
3% below ME
Work from home
19%±3.7Highest
ME: 15.9%
15.1%±3.7
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
19%±3.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #24 of 133 in ME #119 of 133 in ME #10 of 133 in ME #38 of 133 in ME
School district Gorham Public Schools Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Saco Public Schools
High school in town Gorham High School Cony Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.9
17.9Highest
12.5Lowest
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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.