Compare towns
Beals vs Saco vs Windham vs Addison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Addison has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Beals | Saco | Windham | Addison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
1,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-9.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
54.2±3.9Highest 21% above ME |
| Addison and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$50,524±$8kLowest 32% below ME |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$163,500±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$900±$807Lowest 21% below ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580 15% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$1,625Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Addison and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| 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.