Compare towns
Windham vs Exeter vs Saco vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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 | Exeter | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
913Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 34% above U.S. |
$77,550±$19kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| 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 17% above U.S. |
$243,000±$89kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$413,100±$17kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| 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 13% below U.S. |
$867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| 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 26% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | — | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.