Compare towns
Saco vs Meredith vs Windham 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).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
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 | Meredith | Windham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
6,758Lowest |
19,188 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
| 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 54% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Windham High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.1 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.