Compare towns
Saco vs Gorham vs Brewer
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).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Gorham | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
18,300 |
9,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Saco and Brewer 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%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.