Compare towns

Windham vs Braintree 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).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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.

MeasureWindhamBraintreeSacoNorth Windham
People
Population
19,188
1,026Lowest
20,819Highest
5,417
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.1%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.
58.4±2.4Highest
50% above U.S.
44.9±1.5
15% above U.S.
42±3
8% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.2%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
12.3%±3.2Lowest
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%
33.2%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.4%±3.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
30.9%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%
1.8%±1.3Lowest
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.
$79,803±$5kLowest
about the U.S. average
$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.
$217,700±$28kLowest
35% 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.
$840±$405Lowest
41% 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.
$3,908
25% above U.S.
$4,807Highest
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%
43.4%±29.4
U.S.: 51.1%
50.3%±14Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
30.7%±14.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Saco and Braintree 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%
11.1%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%
81%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1979Lowest
1 yr 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
26 min
about the U.S. average
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
19%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±7.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.6Lowest
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 — #38 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 14 Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 Saco Public Schools —
High school in town Windham High School None in town None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.1
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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.