Compare towns
Saco vs Bristol vs Windham vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Bristol has the oldest population (median age 61).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
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 | Bristol | Windham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
2,917Lowest |
19,188 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Saco 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 |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #16 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.