Compare towns
Saco vs Mount Desert vs Biddeford
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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Mount Desert | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
1,671Lowest |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Biddeford 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Biddeford 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 |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Biddeford 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.1 |
| 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.