Compare towns
Lake Arrowhead vs Windham vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Windham | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,322 |
19,188Highest |
1,924Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% below ME |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,654±$9k 32% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$77,004±$5kLowest 3% above ME |
| Windham and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$250,400±$28kLowest 16% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,154±$64Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,578 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 57% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.