Compare towns
Buxton vs Durham vs Winthrop
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Winthrop has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
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 | Buxton | Durham | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
4,262Lowest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Buxton and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
| Buxton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Buxton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
— | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 39% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Durham 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 05 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.