Compare towns
Saco vs Mapleton vs Berwick 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Berwick has the most homeowners (87.4%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 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 | Mapleton | Berwick | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
1,884Lowest |
8,175 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
| Kittery and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
| Berwick and Kittery 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Kittery and Berwick 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Berwick 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.