Compare towns
Windham vs Exeter 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
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Saco | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,093Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest 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±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Windham and Berwick 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below 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±$332 8% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%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 |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest 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 | — | Saco Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| 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 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.