Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Bowdoin | Mapleton | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,884Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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.