Compare towns
Windham vs Biddeford vs North Windham vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
North Windham has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
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.
| Measure | Windham | Biddeford | North Windham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
22,498Highest |
5,417Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42±3 6% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and North Windham 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 ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% 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 | $388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$342,800±$29kLowest 16% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Saco and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,248±$604 10% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Biddeford and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$3,546Lowest 17% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Biddeford Public Schools | — | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Biddeford High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
14.1Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 6 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.