Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Saco vs Windham vs Belfast
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 most renters (31.8% rent).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Belfast has the most affordable homes ($341k median).
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 | Windham | Belfast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,244 |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
6,986Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5 29% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach 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%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% 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 | $1,246±$182 9% above ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 11% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | None in town | Windham High School | Belfast Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.