Compare towns
Dover vs Saco vs Windham vs Rochester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$413,100±$17kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dover 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.