Compare towns
Windham vs Peabody 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).
Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Peabody | Gray | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
54,695Highest |
8,429Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody 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% |
35%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%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 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. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Windham and Peabody 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. |
$596,200±$12kHighest 79% 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. |
$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,065Highest 62% 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% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody 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% |
7.7%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% |
65.6%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. |
1966Lowest 14 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 |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #228 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Peabody | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.3Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.