Compare towns
Saco vs Biddeford vs Scarborough 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 the most kids (16.7% under 18).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k 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 | Biddeford | Scarborough | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
22,498 |
23,215Highest |
8,512Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest 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 |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Scarborough and Buxton 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% |
16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Scarborough 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% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest 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% |
4.7%±1.3 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 |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
| Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,613±$266 42% above ME |
| Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 58% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough 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% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | Scarborough High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.