Compare towns
Saco vs Wells vs Gray
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%).
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 | Wells | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
11,713 |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$11k 23% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Saco 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.