Compare towns
Wells vs Gorham vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Wells | Gorham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% 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 | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% 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 | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest 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 | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| 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.