Compare towns
Windham vs Scarborough 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 most kids (19.2% under 18).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Scarborough | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Lowest |
23,215Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Scarborough and Saco 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% |
16.6%±2Lowest 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%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Scarborough 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 44% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Scarborough 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 31% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough 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% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #95 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Scarborough Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Scarborough High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
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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.