Compare towns
Saco vs Berwick vs Dayton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Berwick | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,175 |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Berwick 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% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
| Dayton and Berwick 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 |
$369,100±$19kLowest 24% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 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 |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$4,436 46% above ME |
$3,872Lowest 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Saco 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.