Compare towns
Windham vs Lake Arrowhead vs Saco vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lake Arrowhead has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Saco | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
3,322Lowest |
20,819Highest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| 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% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 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% |
26.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$98,654±$9k 32% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% 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±$22k 31% above ME |
$267,300±$19kLowest 10% below ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Gorham 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 |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 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% ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | Saco Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | — | 12.9Highest |
| 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.