Compare towns
Abbot vs Windham vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Abbot has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Chester has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Abbot | Windham | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 584Lowest |
19,188Highest |
598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±3.5Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
44±10 about the ME average |
| Abbot and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chester and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,542±$24kLowest 22% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$64,500±$8k 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,200±$36kLowest 42% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$73 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$833±$51Lowest 27% below ME |
| Windham and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,393 54% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,378Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.7%±41.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±37.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Windham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 11% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.1%±17.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Abbot and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.