Compare towns
Saco vs Windham vs Harpswell 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 renters (27.2% rent).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Harpswell has the oldest population (median age 62).
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 | Windham | Harpswell | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
19,188 |
5,046Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Windham 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 |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,348±$53 18% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Harpswell 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Gorham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.