Compare towns
Gray vs Ellsworth vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Gray | Ellsworth | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
8,657 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Ellsworth Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.