What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most homeowners (96.8%).

Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wakefield	Saco
People
Population	5,405Lowest	20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S.	44.9±1.5Lowest 15% above U.S.
	Wakefield and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%	16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Wakefield and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wakefield and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S.	$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S.
	Wakefield and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average	$413,100±$17kHighest 24% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average	$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S.
	Wakefield and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S.	$4,807Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Saco and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest same as U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 35% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	15.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Saco and Wakefield 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	#118 of 120 in NH	#38 of 133 in ME
School district	Wakefield School District	Saco Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.