Compare towns
Saco vs Carmel vs Kittery
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%).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Carmel | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
2,941Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
| Kittery and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel and Saco 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Kittery 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 |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
| Kittery 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±$17k 39% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Saco 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.