1st Advantage MortgageSaco, ME DSCR loans work like they do elsewhere: the lender divides the property's rent by its full monthly payment. The local inputs are a median gross rent of $1,249, median real estate taxes of $4,807 and a renter share of 27%.
Saco rents, values and tenants
Median gross rent in Saco: $1,249, about 10% above the Maine median of $1,139. Median owner-occupied home value: $413,100, well above the Maine median of $296,600. Those are citywide medians, so an individual address can sit well on either side of them. Annual median rent is about 3.6% of the median home value in Saco. That is a thin gross ratio, which tells you purchase prices are high relative to rent, but it blends every housing type, so a house on a specific street needs its own rent comparables.
| Indicator | Maine | Saco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persons per household | 2.26 | 2.28 | |
| Share in 2-4 unit buildings | 10.1% | 15.8% | +56% |
| Share of homes detached | 70.0% | 56.1% | -20% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 36.2% | 43.5% | +20% |
| Workers on their own account | 13.0% | 12.5% | -4% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 48.4% | 50.3% | +4% |
| Units sitting vacant | 20.6% | 8.8% | -57% |
| Typical construction year | 1977 | 1982 | |
| Households that rent | 25.7% | 27.2% | +6% |
| Tax as a share of home value | 1.02% | 1.16% | +14% |
| Annual property tax bill, median | $3,036 | $4,807 | +58% |
| Household income, median | $74,733 | $92,241 | +23% |
| Typical owner-occupied value | $296,600 | $413,100 | +39% |
| Typical monthly rent | $1,139 | $1,249 | +10% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 1,387,817 | 20,819 |
With 27.2% renters (close to the Maine median of 26%), Saco has a thinner rental market, so landlords lean on location, schools and condition to keep units leased. Median household income of $92,241 (about 23% above the Maine median of $74,733) sets the ceiling for rent growth, and 50% of renters already spend 30 percent or more of income on rent.
Homes, buildings and vacancies in Saco
Buildings with two or more units make up about 34% of Saco's housing, including 16% in two to four unit buildings and 7% in buildings of five to 19 units. Homes here date to 1982 at the median, which is old enough to need system replacement but modern enough to avoid the worst surprises.
Roughly 9% of units in Saco sit vacant, and the share of rentals available for rent is 3.7% at the survey's snapshot.
What stands out in Saco
At 3.6% gross, Saco is a tight market for DSCR math, and investors often turn to interest-only structures, higher rents on renovated units or small multifamily to make the ratio clear. A median build year of 1982 suggests moderate repair budgets with the usual replacement cycles. With renters at 27% of households, plan for a longer marketing period and a smaller tenant pool than in a renter-heavy city.
What costs can do to a Saco ratio
In Saco the median tax bill for an owner-occupied home is $4,807, or about 1.16% of value (Maine overall: 1.02%). That bill is well above the Maine median of $3,036. Set beside the median rent, the tax alone consumes about 32% of annual rent.
The federal National Risk Index scores York County relatively moderate for overall risk, led by ice storms (very high), coastal flooding (relatively high) and hurricanes (relatively moderate). That is a county-level view, so check the flood map for the exact parcel.
| Hazard in York County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Riverine flooding exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Hurricanes exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Coastal flooding exposure | Relatively High |
| Ice storms exposure | Very High |
| Social vulnerability score | Very Low |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively Moderate |
| Composite risk | Relatively Moderate |
Insurance belongs in the ratio from day one, so get a landlord quote for the Saco address and ask about roof age, wind or hail deductibles and flood cover.
Rent math for Saco buyers
For a rough fit test, treat $1,249 as the rent and $401 as the monthly tax. The payment cannot exceed $1,249 at a 1.00 ratio, so $848 is left after taxes for interest, principal, insurance and any association dues, shrinking to $599 if the lender wants 1.25.
Legal checks before a Saco purchase
This page does not claim to list every Saco rental ordinance. Before you buy, call the city's planning or code office and York County to ask about rental registration, inspections and short-term rental permits, and read any association declaration. State tax treatment of short stays, as it applies to Saco. Maine applies its sales tax to rentals of living quarters, including short-term vacation rentals, and a single unit rented fewer than 15 days in a calendar year is generally exempt unless a professional manager collects the rent.
A Saco landlord must handle the deposit within 30 days after move-out under Maine law. For Saco rent levels, note that No statewide cap on the amount of rent; state law regulates notice and bars increases while the unit is uninhabitable.
Comparing Saco with surrounding markets
Set Saco ($413,100 median value) beside its neighbors: Westbrook comes in lowest at $383,300, and Scarborough tops the group at $551,900.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westbrook | 39% | $4,005 | $383,300 | 20,775 | $1,392 |
| South Portland | 42% | $4,359 | $441,200 | 26,930 | $1,812 |
| Biddeford | 52% | $4,401 | $396,600 | 22,498 | $1,292 |
| Scarborough | 23% | $5,978 | $551,900 | 23,215 | $1,956 |
| Saco | 27% | $4,807 | $413,100 | 20,819 | $1,249 |
Who rents in Saco
Roughly 12.5% of employed people in Saco are self-employed, a base of investors and landlords for whom a rent-based loan is a practical option. Three more data points: government workers are about 11% of employment, 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
Higher education in and around Saco includes University College has a campus located in Saco., which feeds demand for student, staff and faculty housing near campus.
From a Saco listing to a loan
Bring the Saco numbers to a loan officer: the rent, the taxes, the insurance and your reserves. Apply online or ask for a quote, and use the calculator to preview the ratio.
More Maine markets
- All Maine DSCR loans
- DSCR loans in Scarborough, ME
- DSCR loans in Biddeford, ME
- DSCR loans in South Portland, ME
- DSCR loans in Westbrook, ME
- Every market we cover
Sources
- Maine security deposit statute (14 M.R.S. §§ 6032, 6033, 6034, 6038, 6022-A)
- Maine Revenue Services, rental of living quarters (Maine)
- Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020 to 2024 tables
- FEMA risk data used for Saco
- Saco overview (Wikipedia)
All Saco statistics are ACS five-year survey estimates from 2020 to 2024. Deposit and notice summaries come from RedFlagLease (CC BY 4.0) and the linked Maine sections. Verified October 2026. Ordinances and statutes change, so confirm before acting.
Quick file checklist
For a Saco rental, request the current lease, the last tax bill and the insurance declarations page early, and confirm which utilities the tenant pays, because each one changes the monthly figure a lender compares with the rent.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
How does a lender pick the rent for a Saco DSCR file?
A signed lease or the appraiser's rent schedule supplies the rent, depending on the program, and $1,249 is the Census median for Saco renters, only a benchmark.
Do taxes and insurance count in the Saco DSCR ratio?
Yes, the payment includes principal, interest, taxes, insurance and association dues. At the Saco median rent of $1,249, a 1.25 ratio allows about $999 in total payment, of which roughly $401 a month goes to median taxes.
What tax bill should I expect on a Saco rental?
Saco owners report a median $4,807 in annual real estate taxes, an effective 1.16% (Maine: 1.02%). Your own bill depends on the assessed value after purchase.
Is short-term rental income allowed for a Saco DSCR loan?
Yes on programs built for it, once the use is lawful in Saco. Gather twelve months of statements or a third-party projection, and have Maine tax registration squared away.
When must a Saco landlord return a deposit?
Return is due within 30 days after the tenant leaves. The governing section is 14 M.R.S. §§ 6032, 6033, 6034, 6038, 6022-A.
How exposed is Saco to natural hazards?
At the county level FEMA calls overall risk relatively moderate. Insurance, not the index, shows up in the ratio, so price a policy for the Saco address.
Is an entity required for a ME DSCR loan?
It is optional. Lenders will close in a properly formed LLC and generally want the members to guarantee. Ask your accountant how a ME entity would be taxed.