Compare towns
Appleton vs Orland vs Windham
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).
Orland has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Orland | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,915 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below 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% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Appleton 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% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 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 |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Orland 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 |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Orland 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 |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest 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 | — | RSU 14 |
| High school 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 |
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.