Compare towns
Chapman vs Sidney vs Windham vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Chapman | Sidney | Windham | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 388Lowest |
4,790 |
19,188Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.8% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Windham and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Windham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
| Sidney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,850 39% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 6% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.