Compare towns
Bangor vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k 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 | Bangor | Saco |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
20,819Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.