Compare towns
Saco vs Windham vs Winthrop
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%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Winthrop has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
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 | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
19,188 |
6,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Saco and Winthrop 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% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest 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±$11k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% 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±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Saco and Windham 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,506Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Saco 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.