Compare towns
Saco vs Brunswick vs Rockland
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 highest household income ($92k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Brunswick | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
17,652 |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland 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% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Brunswick 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% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,092±$105Lowest 4% below ME |
| Brunswick 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 |
$4,477 47% above ME |
$4,059Lowest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3% ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | — | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.