Compare towns

Dummerston vs Saco vs Williston vs Middlesex

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).

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.

MeasureDummerstonSacoWillistonMiddlesex
People
Population
2,090
20,819Highest
10,144
1,943Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±11.7Highest
17% above U.S.
44.9±1.5
15% above U.S.
45.4±4.5
17% above U.S.
44.4±3.9Lowest
14% above U.S.
Dummerston and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
21.3%±3.1
U.S.: 22%
Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
24.3%±3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±3.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Dummerston and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
58.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
54.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.2%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
Williston and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
$92,241±$11kLowest
14% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
$109,632±$13kHighest
36% above U.S.
Middlesex and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$335,300±$22kLowest
about the U.S. average
$413,100±$17k
24% above U.S.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
$376,300±$40k
13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,392±$126
about the U.S. average
$1,249±$385Lowest
12% below U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,333±$359
6% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,536Lowest
45% above U.S.
$4,807
54% above U.S.
$5,592
79% above U.S.
$6,483Highest
108% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±32.2
U.S.: 51.1%
50.3%±14Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Saco and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
96.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1986
6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
21% below U.S.
24 min
10% below U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
27 minHighest
4% above U.S.
Work from home
25.9%±10.3
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
28.4%±10.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Middlesex and Dummerston 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 #11 of 70 in VT —
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Saco Public Schools Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 Washington Central Unified Union School District #92
High school in town None in town None in town None in town None in town
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.