Compare towns
Saco vs Gorham vs Brunswick vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k 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 | Brunswick | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
18,300 |
22,336Highest |
8,815Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40±2.8 11% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
| Bath and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Brunswick 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brunswick 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% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Gorham 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 |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Gorham and Brunswick 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 |
$4,756 57% above ME |
$3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bath 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% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Bath 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Brunswick High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
10.9Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.