Compare towns
Etna vs Windham vs Hartford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Hartford has the most kids (23.4% 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 | Etna | Windham | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
42.2±6.5Highest 6% below ME |
| Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hartford and Etna 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%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$87,115±$40k 17% above ME |
| Windham and Hartford 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 |
$189,200±$44k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,024 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Etna 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
41 minHighest 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 → | 6 photos → | 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.