What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bucksport has the most affordable homes ($252k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bucksport	Windham
People
Population	5,016Lowest	19,188Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.7±12.2Highest 5% below ME	41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME
	Bucksport and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1%	19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Windham and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4%	15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	44.2%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Windham and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME	$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$252,300±$32kLowest 15% below ME	$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$882±$92Lowest 23% below ME	$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME
	Windham and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,021Lowest 33% below ME	$3,938Highest 30% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4%	32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bucksport and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 15% above ME	26 minLowest 7% above ME
Work from home	10.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Windham and Bucksport 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	#68 of 133 in ME	#95 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 25	RSU 14
High school in town	Bucksport High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.1Lowest
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.