Compare towns
Gray vs Saco vs Upton vs Topsham
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 youngest population (median age 43.4).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
20,819Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| 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%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Topsham 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%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Upton 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% 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% |
4.9%±1.8 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±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| 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 18% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Upton 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% |
6.4%Highest 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% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| 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% |
17.2%±4.3 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 | #66 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 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.