Compare towns
Saco vs Brewer vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
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 | Brewer | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
9,652 |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% 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 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gray 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 |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% 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 | $413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Gray 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.