Compare towns
Saco vs Gray vs Stratham
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,429 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.