Compare towns
Windham vs West Paris 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).
West Paris has the most affordable homes ($193k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | West Paris | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
1,808Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| West Paris 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% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest 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% |
25.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| West Paris 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest 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 |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% 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 |
$193,000±$20kLowest 35% 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±$332 8% above ME |
$838±$333Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco and Windham 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 |
$2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris 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% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris 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 |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Saco Public Schools |
| 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 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.