Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Biddeford 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Gray | Biddeford | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
8,429 |
22,498Highest |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
| Saco and Gray 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
| Dayton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
| Gray and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Dayton 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Biddeford Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
14.1Highest |
— |
| 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.