Compare towns
Mapleton vs Saco vs Starks 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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Starks | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
20,819Highest |
556Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Saco 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%±4.4Lowest 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%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below 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 |
$1,063±$301 7% 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 | $1,789 41% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 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 | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #38 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Saco Public Schools | — | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.