Compare towns
Windham vs Orono 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).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
11,902Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% 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% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Windham 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% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% 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 |
$272,600±$40kLowest 8% 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±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Orono and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Saco 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 26 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Orono High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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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.