Compare towns
Windham vs Jay 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).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k 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 | Jay | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
4,657Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Jay 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% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay 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% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Jay 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 |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below 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 |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Windham 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 73 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| 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.