Compare towns
Saco vs Ellsworth vs Brewer 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 oldest population (median age 44.9).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Ellsworth | Brewer | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,657Lowest |
9,652 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Saco and Ellsworth 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below 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 |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Brewer High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.