Compare towns
Saco vs Wells vs Biddeford vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Wells | Biddeford | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819 |
11,713Lowest |
22,498Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% 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±$17k 39% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Wells and Biddeford 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Wells 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Biddeford High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
14.1Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.