Compare towns
Windham vs Steep Falls vs Saco vs Gray
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 highest household income ($108k).
Steep Falls 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 | Steep Falls | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,861Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Saco and Steep Falls 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% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Windham 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Saco 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 44% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| 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 31% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| 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±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Gray 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 |
$3,273Lowest 8% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls 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 ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 |
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.