Compare towns
Burnham vs Gray vs Windham vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burnham has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Solon has the most homeowners (88.6%).
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 | Burnham | Gray | Windham | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 953Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
| Burnham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,261±$18kLowest 21% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,100±$43kLowest 40% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,308±$386 15% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Gray and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,897 38% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 17%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Burnham 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.