Compare towns
Saco vs Unity 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($207k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
1,858Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Saco and Windham 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Windham 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| 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±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Saco and Windham 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.