Compare towns
Gray vs Saco vs Bath vs Topsham
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%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Saco | Bath | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,815 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Bath and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Gray 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 |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% 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 |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Bath 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Morse High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 14.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.