Compare towns
Etna vs Windham vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
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 | Etna | Windham | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252 |
19,188Highest |
1,117Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
45.4±5.9Highest about the ME average |
| Charleston and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$75,250±$20k about the ME average |
| Windham and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$226,500±$17k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$988±$870Lowest 13% below ME |
| Windham and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,811 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Charleston 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 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.