Compare towns
Windham vs Waterville 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).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Waterville | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
17,077 |
20,819Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Saco and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% 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±$332 8% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Saco 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below 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% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 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 |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Waterville Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Waterville Senior High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 12.5 |
| 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.