Compare towns
Saco vs Windham vs Cumberland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
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 | Windham | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
19,188 |
8,647Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
41.9±4 6% below ME |
| Saco and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Cumberland 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Windham 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 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
| Cumberland and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 58% above ME |
$3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$7,116Highest 134% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.1%±31.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.