Compare towns
Appleton vs Dedham vs Windham vs Orland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Orland has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Appleton | Dedham | Windham | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,656 |
19,188Highest |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
| Windham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Orland 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 | Appleton Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.