Compare towns
Mapleton vs Windham vs Saco vs Union
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Windham | Saco | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
19,188 |
20,819Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below 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 |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 14 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.