Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Saco is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Saco beats Maine on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Saco. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Saco
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Saco
Saco runs below Maine on four chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (6% vs 7.6%), COPD (6.7% vs 8.4%) and stroke (2.9% vs 3.6%). Conditions ↓
Saco is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.1% across Maine. The town has 27 miles of trails across 24 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Maine figure falls outside Saco’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Saco’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Saco is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #29 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 90% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 50%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Saco’s median household income is $92,241; among the 9,675 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Saco adults…
Saco runs below ME on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
27 miles of trails across 24 parks and preserves
Care in and near Saco
No hospital or community health center in Saco itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Saco; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Saco adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Saco adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
3 in 10 Saco adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.8% of Saco adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Saco and the towns around it
Saco’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saco | A− | 32.4% | 9.1% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Old Orchard Beach | — | — | — | — | |
| Old Orchard Beach | B | 33.9% | 12.2% | 13.1% | ZIP codes |
| Biddeford | B | 33.7% | 9.7% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Dayton | B | 33.7% | 9.7% | 14.8% | ZIP 04005 |
| Scarborough | A | 25.3% | 8.9% | 9.5% | ZIP 04074 |
| Buxton | A− | 32.5% | 9.1% | 13.1% | ZIP 04093 |
Old Orchard Beach: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Saco adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Saco
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Saco is better than Maine on 13 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Saco’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Saco | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%14.2–18.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.8–13.5 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.3–18.9 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%28.4–36.3 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1%8–10.2 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.3%29.6–34.8 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%32.6–38 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%26.4–30.9 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.8%11.5–14.1 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.8–10.4 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.6 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.6–12.4 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%10.9–14.5 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.9–22.1 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%15.5–20.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.2%27.7–34.9 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.6–8.2 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%77.4–82.5 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.7–69.1 | 63.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.1–89.2 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%73.2–78.4 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.8%67.2–74.1 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.7%77.2–85.8 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.7%23.1–28.3 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.8%27.7–33.9 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%19.1–24.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.6%7.2–10.1 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.8%7.4–10.1 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.8–7.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%9.2–12.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.1%26.1–32 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.1%9.7–12.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15%13.3–16.7 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6–7.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Maine figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Saco
Is Saco a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Saco is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #29 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Saco?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 36.3%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Saco?
Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, 11.3 miles in a straight line from Saco’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Saco have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.2%), against 7.8% across Maine.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Saco more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Saco.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.