Compare towns
Berwick vs Dayton vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Berwick | Dayton | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175 |
2,313Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Dayton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19kLowest 24% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 46% above ME |
$3,872Lowest 28% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 133 in ME | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Dayton Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.