Compare towns
Somerville vs Saco vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Somerville | Saco | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
20,819Highest |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
38.1±4.9 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jefferson and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
| Saco and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$311,600±$35k 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,120±$130Lowest about the ME average |
| Somerville and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Saco Public Schools | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.