Compare towns
Windham vs Gorham vs Biddeford 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 homeowners (84.6%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Gorham | Biddeford | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
18,300Lowest |
22,498Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Windham 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 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% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Gorham 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Biddeford 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±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% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Gorham High School | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.9 |
14.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.