Compare towns
Windham vs Cushing 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
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Cushing has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | Cushing | Gorham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,460Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Cushing and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% 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 | $388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$3,944 30% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest 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 | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 13 | Gorham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.