Compare towns
Saco vs Williston vs Middlesex vs Windham
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 most renters (27.2% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Williston | Middlesex | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
10,144 |
1,943Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Williston and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Saco 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Middlesex 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 24% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.