Compare towns
Eliot vs Freeport vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
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 | Eliot | Freeport | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,802 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
| Eliot and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Freeport and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
| Freeport and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Eliot and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 50% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 05 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.