Compare towns
Windham vs Hampton Beach vs Gray vs Saco
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).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | Windham | Hampton Beach | Gray | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
2,605Lowest |
8,429 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 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. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% 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. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Gray 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. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Gray 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| 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.