Compare towns
Saco vs Scarborough 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 most affordable homes ($413k median).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Scarborough | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
23,215Highest |
18,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Scarborough and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Saco 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% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
| Scarborough 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 39% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
| Scarborough and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Lowest 58% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough 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 ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Scarborough High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.