Compare towns
Cumberland vs Wells vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k 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 | Cumberland | Wells | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,647Lowest |
11,713 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±4 6% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Cumberland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cumberland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland and Windham 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Greely High School | Wells High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.4 |
12.1Highest |
| 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.