Compare towns

Windham vs Barre vs Saco vs North Windham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).

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.

MeasureWindhamBarreSacoNorth Windham
People
Population
19,188
8,412
20,819Highest
5,417Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-6.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.8±1.8Lowest
7% above U.S.
42.2±6.6
8% above U.S.
44.9±1.5Highest
15% above U.S.
42±3
8% above U.S.
Saco and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.2%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
16.7%±2.5
U.S.: 22%
16.6%±4.1
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
15.9%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.4%±3.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.4%±3.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Barre and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
37%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Saco and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$107,934±$14kHighest
34% above U.S.
$65,625±$7kLowest
19% below U.S.
$92,241±$11k
14% above U.S.
$88,522±$8k
10% above U.S.
Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$388,900±$22k
17% above U.S.
$210,400±$15kLowest
37% below U.S.
$413,100±$17kHighest
24% above U.S.
$342,800±$29k
3% above U.S.
Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,232±$332
13% below U.S.
$1,093±$58Lowest
23% below U.S.
$1,249±$385Highest
12% below U.S.
$1,248±$604
12% below U.S.
Saco and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,938
26% above U.S.
$5,192Highest
66% above U.S.
$4,807
54% above U.S.
$3,546Lowest
14% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
32.7%±14.7
U.S.: 51.1%
34.4%±10.3
U.S.: 51.1%
50.3%±14Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
30.7%±14.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Saco and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
17.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minHighest
about the U.S. average
19 minLowest
30% below U.S.
24 min
10% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
19%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
20.9%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
North Windham and Windham 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 #95 of 133 in ME #19 of 70 in VT #38 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 14 Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center Saco Public Schools —
High school in town Windham High School Spaulding Union High School None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.1Highest
10.7Lowest
— —
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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.