Compare towns
Freedom vs Saco vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Saco has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Freedom | Saco | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 670Lowest |
20,819Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Saco and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Unity 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 | — |
| School district | — | Saco Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.