Lake Arrowhead vs Saco
Lake Arrowhead, Maine versus Saco, Maine: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lake Arrowhead and Saco score about the same overall (47 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lake Arrowhead | Saco |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $81k | $81k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $209k | $345k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $904 | $6k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 1.32% |
| Income Tax | 7.10% | 7.10% |
| Sales Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.35% | 14.53% |
| Unemployment | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.1 in | 50.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 80.9 in | 68.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 218 days | 218 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 16.5 | 17.8 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 830/100k | 1175/100k |
| Property Crime | 1102/100k | 1514/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,896 | 20,446 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 43.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.11 | 0.17 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.18 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 94.1% | 90.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 24 min |
| Walkability | 5.7/20 | 6.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 91 mi | 85 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 91.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 17.27 | 49.40 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lake Arrowhead or Saco more affordable?
- Saco has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Lake Arrowhead's $57k and Saco's $57k. Median rent is $2k in Lake Arrowhead versus $1k in Saco.
- Is Lake Arrowhead or Saco safer?
- Lake Arrowhead has the lower violent crime rate. Lake Arrowhead reports 830/100k and Saco reports 1175/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lake Arrowhead or Saco?
- The median home value is $209k in Lake Arrowhead and $345k in Saco, so homes are more affordable in Lake Arrowhead.