Compare towns
Saco vs Bath vs Hampton Beach vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Saco | Bath | Hampton Beach | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,815 |
2,605Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Bath 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | — | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.9Lowest |
| 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.