Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Eliot vs Gorham
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).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429 |
7,146Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below 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%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham 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%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Eliot 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 |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Eliot and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
| Eliot and Gorham 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 |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest 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% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 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 |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.