Compare towns
Saco vs Berwick vs Union
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 people working from home (20.2%).
Union has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Saco | Berwick | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,175 |
2,663Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Saco and Union 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%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Berwick 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% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union 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% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,179±$452Lowest 4% 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 |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.