Compare towns
Appleton vs Topsham 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).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Topsham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
9,706 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Topsham 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 |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Topsham 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 |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Topsham 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.