Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Saco vs Brunswick
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 the highest household income ($92k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Saco | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,244Lowest |
20,819Highest |
17,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Brunswick 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% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$363,200±$18kLowest 22% above 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±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Saco 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 |
$4,477 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Brunswick 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 | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6 |
— | — |
| 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.