Compare towns
Windham vs Carmel 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).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Carmel | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
2,941Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Saco 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% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Carmel 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% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and 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 44% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% 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 |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% 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 | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Carmel 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 |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Saco 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.