Compare towns
Windham vs Steep Falls vs Saco vs Berwick
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).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Saco has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Steep Falls | Saco | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,861Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Saco and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Berwick 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco and Berwick 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Windham 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 |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Windham and Berwick 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 |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% 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 |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Berwick 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 |
$3,273Lowest 8% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Berwick 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% |
7.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | Saco Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.