Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Saco vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Saco | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,244 |
20,819Highest |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
49.3±6 10% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11k 20% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
| Saco and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182 9% above ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,092±$105Lowest 4% below ME |
| Saco and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,059 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 11% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Saco Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.