Compare towns
Gorham vs Mapleton vs Starks 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).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Starks | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Starks and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Starks 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Saco 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Starks 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | — | 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.