Compare towns
Saco vs Scarborough vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Windham has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
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 | Scarborough | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
23,215Highest |
19,188Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Scarborough 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% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Scarborough and Windham 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 |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 58% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Scarborough High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.