Compare towns
Carmel vs Buxton vs Windham vs Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% 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 | Carmel | Buxton | Windham | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,941 |
8,512 |
19,188Highest |
2,690Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±8 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Buxton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$63,178±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
| Windham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$228,800±$22kLowest 23% below ME |
| Windham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,265±$400 11% above ME |
| Buxton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662 12% below ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Windsor 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% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 min 39% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #44 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.