Compare towns
Madison vs Saco vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most renters (61.1% rent).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Madison | Saco | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,676 |
20,819Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±12.3Lowest about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$218Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Saco and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,740 43% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.