Compare towns
Brewer 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
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Brewer | Saco | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Lowest |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above 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 | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below 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 | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.