Compare towns
Saco vs Gorham vs Chapman
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).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k 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 | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
18,300 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Chapman 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 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman 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 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Gorham and Chapman 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.