Compare towns
Windham vs Dedham vs Appleton 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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Dedham | Appleton | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,656 |
1,360Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Windham 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 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±$14k 44% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Dedham and Windham 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 |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% 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±$332 8% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Dedham 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 |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.