Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Saco vs Windham vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | New Gloucester | Saco | Windham | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,766Lowest |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% 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 | $1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Saco 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.