Compare towns
Saco vs Wakefield vs Dayton
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 the shortest commute (24 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Dayton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
27,793Highest |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
42.1±5.5Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Saco and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dayton and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco and Dayton 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 14% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$113,750±$24k 41% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Dayton 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. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$398,200±$34kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,215±$867Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$3,872Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.