Compare towns
South Windham vs Saco vs Mapleton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | South Windham | Saco | Mapleton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,212Lowest |
20,819Highest |
1,884 |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| South Windham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| South Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,941 3% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham 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 |
| School district | — | Saco Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 14 |
| High school 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 |
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.