Compare towns
Gorham vs Saco vs Brewer vs Gray
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).
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
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 | Saco | Brewer | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
20,819Highest |
9,652 |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% 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 |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | 14.0Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.