Compare towns
Saco vs Gorham vs Dayton
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Dayton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
18,300 |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
| Saco and Dayton 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% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Gorham 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% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
| 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 39% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$398,200±$34kLowest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% 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 |
$3,872Lowest 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Dayton 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest 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 | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.