Compare towns
Windham vs Dedham vs Saco vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Saco | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,656Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Dedham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Berwick 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%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Dedham 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% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 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 |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% 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±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% 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 |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Dedham Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| 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.