Compare towns
Saco vs Wakefield 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).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k 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 | Wakefield | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
27,793Highest |
18,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Saco and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Saco 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Wakefield 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.