Compare towns
Windham vs Hope 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).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | Hope | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,748Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Hope 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope 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% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Hope 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±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 |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% 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 |
$373,400±$33kLowest 26% above 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 |
$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco and Windham 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 |
$3,842Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Hope 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% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest 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 | Hope Public Schools | 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 History | 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.