Population 21,215 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Saco
Household size in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Saco is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.42, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.9 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.3 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.2 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.8 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.8, Saco is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. That is in line with the rest of Maine. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.9, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Saco: 5.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Saco has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Maine cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Saco
Renters in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.5% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Saco own their homes; 26.8% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (35.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Saco is close to the national rate: 8.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Maine overall (16.4%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Saco are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $978 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,040 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,203 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,335 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$357 | +$464 | +$606 |
Rent in Saco runs $1,335 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Maine as a whole ($1,230). Rent has climbed $357 a month since 2006–10, up 36%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Saco
Bachelor's degrees in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.2% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.6% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.7% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.1 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Saco than nationally: 42.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 14.1 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.1% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Saco: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Saco
| Period | Saco | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Saco has been low: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.9 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Saco compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saco | 2.37 | 44.8 | 5.5% | 26.8% | 8.8% | 1979 | $1,335 | 42.7% | 96.3% | 2.2% |
| Biddeford | 2.32 | 37.7 | 9.6% | 49.4% | 12.4% | 1962 | $1,422 | 33.3% | 95.0% | 3.0% |
| Old Orchard Beach | 1.76 | 57.4 | 4.7% | 31.8% | 25.8% | 1978 | $1,190 | 43.3% | 97.4% | 7.8% |
| Scarborough | 2.32 | 50.4 | 7.3% | 22.5% | 10.9% | 1990 | $2,102 | 57.3% | 98.8% | 2.5% |
| Bar Mills | 2.24 | 57.6 | 5.0% | 14.1% | 16.5% | 1997 | $1,041 | 33.3% | 96.7% | 1.8% |
| Goodwins Mills | 2.68 | 46.6 | 6.5% | 9.1% | 11.6% | 1984 | $1,208 | 24.9% | 95.0% | 1.8% |
| Salmon Falls | 2.64 | 50.0 | 13.0% | 13.1% | 6.7% | 1979 | $1,397 | 31.1% | 90.2% | 4.2% |
| Kennebunkport | 2.34 | 47.9 | 11.9% | 18.4% | 22.5% | 1986 | $1,520 | 44.1% | 97.9% | 2.8% |
| Buxton | 2.57 | 48.9 | 5.9% | 11.0% | 15.7% | 1978 | $1,752 | 37.1% | 98.4% | 4.0% |
| West Kennebunk | 2.47 | 43.1 | 8.6% | 11.0% | 2.2% | 1987 | $1,645 | 47.8% | 98.2% | 5.9% |
| South Hollis | 2.57 | 52.1 | 8.2% | 11.5% | 24.8% | 1976 | $1,107 | 19.3% | 91.8% | 0.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Arcata, CA · Beaufort, SC · Bay City, TX · Baldwin, PA · Bainbridge, GA · Anna, TX · Alum Rock, CA · Altamont, OR · Alsip, IL · Alpine, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Saco. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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