Compare towns
Saco vs Waldo vs Brunswick
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%).
Waldo has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Waldo | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819 |
926Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
40±2.8 11% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Brunswick 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,150±$691Lowest about the ME average |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,756 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Brunswick 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Waldo-Region 7 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.