Compare towns
Alton vs Lagrange vs Windham vs Phillips
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Alton | Lagrange | Windham | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 819 |
709Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9% ME: +2.6% |
-10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.1±5.9 10% above ME |
45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Alton and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,955±$9k 16% below ME |
$58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $179,500±$25k 39% below ME |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $866±$48 24% below ME |
$831±$151 27% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Windham and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,476 51% below ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±88.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Alton and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±7.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Phillips 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 34 | — | RSU 14 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.