Compare towns
Appleton vs Dedham vs Saco vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Appleton | Dedham | Saco | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,656 |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% 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 | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Dedham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.