What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middleton	Saco
People
Population	9,816Lowest	20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S.	44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S.
	Saco and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22%	16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Middleton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Saco and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Saco and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S.	$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S.	$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,407±$284Highest about the U.S. average	$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S.
	Middleton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,785Highest 182% above U.S.	$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Saco and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Saco and Middleton 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	#71 of 282 in MA	#38 of 133 in ME
School district	Middleton	Saco Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.