Compare towns
Gorham vs Kittery vs Saco vs Topsham
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).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Kittery | Saco | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
10,473 |
20,819Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Gorham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Kittery and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | 12.2 |
| 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.