Compare towns
Mapleton vs Saco vs Standish vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Mapleton | Saco | Standish | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
20,819Highest |
10,662 |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.