Compare towns
Windham vs Melrose 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 most homeowners (84.6%).
Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k median).
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 | Melrose | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Lowest |
29,650Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Saco and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Melrose 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,578Highest 143% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 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 |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #62 of 282 in MA | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Melrose | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Melrose High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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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.