Compare towns
Saco vs Lancaster vs Gorham
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 the shortest commute (24 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Lancaster | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,606Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Saco and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Saco 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Nashoba | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.