Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Ellsworth vs Windham
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%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Ellsworth | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429Lowest |
8,657 |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% 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%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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±$20k 23% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Saco and Windham 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 |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gray and Saco 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Ellsworth High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.