Compare towns
Carmel vs Standish vs Windham
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 most affordable homes ($257k median).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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.
| Measure | Carmel | Standish | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Carmel and Windham 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Carmel and Windham 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% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Carmel and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Carmel 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.