Compare towns
Saco vs Upton vs Gray
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | Upton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Upton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Gray 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| Gray 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.