Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Eliot
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 kids (19% under 18).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k 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 | Gray | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
| Eliot 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% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot 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±$17k 39% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Eliot 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.