Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Rockland
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 kids (19% under 18).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429 |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland 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%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland 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% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Gray and Saco 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 |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,092±$105Lowest 4% below 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 |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,059 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.