Compare towns
Saco vs Dummerston vs Gorham vs Dayton
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 renters (27.2% rent).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Dummerston | Gorham | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
2,090Lowest |
18,300 |
2,313 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.1±5.5 8% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$113,750±$24kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Dayton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$398,200±$34k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,215±$867Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Dummerston 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. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,872Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Dummerston 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Gorham Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.