Compare towns
Cavendish vs Gray vs Windham vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% 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 | Cavendish | Gray | Windham | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948 27% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Cavendish 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 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None 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 | 18 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.