Compare towns
Saco vs Needham vs Gorham vs Dayton
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Dayton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Needham | Gorham | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
32,459Highest |
18,300 |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.1±5.5 8% above U.S. |
| Saco and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saco and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$113,750±$24k 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$398,200±$34kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,215±$867Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,872Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Needham | Gorham Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.