Compare towns
Readfield vs Saco vs Windham vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Belgrade has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
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 | Readfield | Saco | Windham | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651Lowest |
20,819Highest |
19,188 |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% 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 | $326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$312,200±$44kLowest 5% 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 | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392 12% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.