Cost of living in Saco research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Saco is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maine, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Saco is 117, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Saco is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Saco ranks as the #24 cheapest in Maine out of 30.
Saco ranks as the #4,212 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Saco is $520,739.
The median income in Saco is $84,328.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Saco has an overall cost of living index of 117, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maine, Saco has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Maine's index of 101.
The standard of living in Saco ranks as #24 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies Saco ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.
For more reading on life in Saco, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Saco. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Saco is 110.
The Groceries index in Saco is 102.
The Health index in Saco is 103.
The Housing index in Saco is 139.
The Transportation index in Saco is 110.
The Utilities index in Saco is 105.
| Living Expense | Saco | Maine | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 117 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
| Housing | 139 | 90 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 105 | 105 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maine, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Saco is $520,739.
The Median Rent in Saco is $1,268.
The Median Income in Saco is $84,328.
The Home Value To Income in Saco is 6.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Saco is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Saco. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Portland, ME has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x Saco.
South Portland, ME has a cost of living index of 120, 1.0x Saco.
Biddeford, ME has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Saco.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME | 68,505 | 122 | 1.0x |
| South Portland, ME | 26,780 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Biddeford, ME | 22,463 | 115 | 1.0x |
| Westbrook, ME | 20,484 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Old Orchard Beach, ME | 9,150 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Gorham, ME | 7,365 | 121 | 1.0x |
| Kennebunk, ME | 6,008 | 122 | 1.0x |