Compare towns
Saco vs Wells 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Wells | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
11,713Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Wells and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 58% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
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.