Compare towns
South Berwick vs Saco vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | South Berwick | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Saco and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 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 | $99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| South Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| 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.