Compare towns
Gray vs Saco vs Upton vs South Berwick
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).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% 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 | Upton | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
20,819Highest |
8,189 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Upton 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% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 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. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.