Compare towns
Gray vs Saco vs Chapman
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 youngest population (median age 43.4).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
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 | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
20,819Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Chapman 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%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman 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% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Gray and Chapman 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 |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Saco 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.