Compare towns
Dover vs Saco vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Dover | Saco | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saco and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Dover 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. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.