Compare towns
Bethel vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
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 | Bethel | Windham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,617Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37kLowest 16% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel 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 | #49 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.