Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Kittery vs Topsham
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 homeowners (82.4%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Kittery | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429Lowest |
10,473 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 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±$11k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Gray and Kittery 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±$20k 23% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
9.9Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.