Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Hampton vs Biddeford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($545k median).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Hampton | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
8,429Lowest |
10,101 |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
51.2±1.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Hampton 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. |
$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$396,600±$25k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,401 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.