Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Saco vs Hermon
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 most people working from home (19%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,244 |
20,819Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Saco 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% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±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±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% 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 |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426 13% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Saco 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Old Orchard Beach 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 | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | Saco Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.