Compare towns
Orono vs Saco vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono | Saco | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902Lowest |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% 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 | 6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest 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+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above 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 | $272,600±$40kLowest 8% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% 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 | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Orono and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Orono High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.