Compare towns
Windham vs Belfast 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
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Windham | Belfast | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
6,986Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest 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 | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 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 | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 71 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Belfast Area High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.