Compare towns
Belfast vs Standish vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Belfast | Standish | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Lowest |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9% ME: 36.2% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$336,000±$18kLowest 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | #84 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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.