Compare towns
Gorham vs Owls Head vs Windham 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | Owls Head | Windham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
1,482Lowest |
19,188 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Owls Head 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% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$87,325±$7kLowest 17% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham 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 |
$413,300±$43k 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Gorham and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,191±$386Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above 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 |
$2,981Lowest about the ME average |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 14 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.