Compare towns
Gray vs Saco vs Westbrook
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 the most expensive homes ($413k median).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
20,819Highest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Saco and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook 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 |
$85,038±$7kLowest 14% 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±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Saco and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Westbrook and Gray 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 |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.