Compare towns

Gray vs Upton vs Saco

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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).

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.

MeasureGrayUptonSaco
People
Population
8,429
8,189Lowest
20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5Lowest
12% above U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
44.9±1.5
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%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Gray 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%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±2.1Lowest
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%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.2%±1.2
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.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
$92,241±$11kLowest
14% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,700±$20kLowest
9% above U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$413,100±$17k
24% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Highest
about the U.S. average
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,249±$385
12% below U.S.
Gray and Saco 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.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$4,807
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
50.3%±14Lowest
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%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
3 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.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.6
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 #46 of 282 in MA #38 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Saco Public Schools
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School Blackstone Valley None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Highest
11.2Lowest
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.