Compare towns
Exeter vs Topsham vs Windham vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% 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 | Exeter | Topsham | Windham | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
9,706 |
19,188Highest |
925Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lee and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Windham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Windham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
— |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 14 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| High school in town | — | Mt Ararat High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.