Compare towns
Saco vs Hermon vs Brewer vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Hermon | Brewer | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
6,727Lowest |
9,652 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Saco and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Hermon 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Hermon 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 |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 58% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Hermon High School | Brewer High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
14.0 |
12.9Lowest |
| 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.