Compare towns
Saco vs Meredith vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Meredith | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
6,758Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco and Windham 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 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Windham 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 24% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.