What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Saco
People
Population	5,736Lowest	20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.	44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22%	16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S.	$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S.	$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S.	$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S.
	Brookline and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Saco and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookline 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	#23 of 120 in NH	#38 of 133 in ME
School district	Brookline School District	Saco Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.