Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Gray 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 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Saco 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 | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
U.S. 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.