Compare towns
Gray vs Lyme vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Lyme | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,710Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Lyme and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Saco 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Lyme School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.