Compare towns
Mapleton vs Steep Falls vs Saco
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).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Steep Falls | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,861Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Mapleton 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest 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% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest 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 |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Saco and Mapleton 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 |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Saco 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 |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls 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% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.