Compare towns
Gorham vs Exeter vs Saco vs South Windham
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Exeter | Saco | South Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
1,093Lowest |
20,819Highest |
1,212 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
| Exeter and Saco 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% |
9%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
6.9%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and South Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
| South Windham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
| South Windham and Gorham 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$2,941 3% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±27.8Lowest 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 | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham 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 | — |
| 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.