Compare towns
Saco vs Appleton vs Dayton vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Saco | Appleton | Dayton | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
1,360Lowest |
2,313 |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Dayton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,215±$867 7% above ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Biddeford and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Dayton 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | — | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.