Compare towns
Saco vs Kittery vs Old Orchard Beach
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%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
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 | Kittery | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
10,473 |
9,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Kittery 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% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Kittery 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% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Saco 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 |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below 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 |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$366,600±$38kLowest 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,246±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4Lowest 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Highest |
7.6Lowest |
| 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.