Compare towns
Saco vs Peru 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%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k 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 | Peru | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
1,501Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
| Peru and Kittery 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% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Saco 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% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Peru 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% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$66,827±$19kLowest 11% below 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 |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% 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 |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Kittery 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 56 | 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.