Compare towns
Saco vs Beals vs Gorham vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Beals | Gorham | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
498Lowest |
18,300 |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
48±15.6Highest 7% above ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Beals and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 58% above ME |
$2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9Lowest |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.