Compare towns
Saco vs Bow vs Kittery 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 most affordable homes ($413k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Bow | Kittery | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,335Lowest |
10,473 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kittery 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Gorham 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Gorham 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. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Bow School District | Kittery Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
9.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.