Compare towns
Buckfield vs Windham vs Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckfield has the most kids (25.7% under 18).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Paris has the most renters (39.8% rent).
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 | Buckfield | Windham | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,403Lowest |
19,188Highest |
5,317 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
| Paris and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Paris and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$75,137±$20kLowest about the ME average |
| Windham and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,700±$18kLowest 23% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860 6% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 25% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 14 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.