Compare towns
Windham vs Gardner vs Saco
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).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Gardner | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Lowest |
21,148Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Saco and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco and Gardner 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. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% 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. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$413,100±$17kHighest 24% 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. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #273 of 282 in MA | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Gardner | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.