Compare towns
Andover vs Windham vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the oldest housing (typical home built 1978).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Andover | Windham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,135 |
19,188Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±11.6 18% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.1%±7.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,514±$27kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,500±$44k 10% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Windham and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,211±$190Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,962Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | Andover School District | RSU 14 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.