Compare towns
Saco vs Biddeford vs Buxton
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%).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Buxton has the most homeowners (80.3%).
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 | Biddeford | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
22,498Highest |
8,512Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
| Buxton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Buxton 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% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton 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% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
| Buxton 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 |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
| Saco and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
| Buxton and Biddeford 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 |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Biddeford 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% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Biddeford 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 | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1 |
— |
| 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.