Compare towns
Windham vs Mapleton vs Wells 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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Wells | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,884Lowest |
11,713 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Wells 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Wells 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.