Compare towns
Saco vs Lisbon 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).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Lisbon | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
9,750Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Gorham 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% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Saco 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 |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Lisbon 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% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Lisbon Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Lisbon High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.8Highest |
12.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.