Compare towns
Fairlee vs Gray vs Windham vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Fairlee | Gray | Windham | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6 43% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1 |
8.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.