What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).

Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lowell	Windham
People
Population	118,368Highest	19,188Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S.	41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Lowell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	15.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average	$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S.	$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,499Highest 44% above U.S.	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#255 of 282 in MA	#95 of 133 in ME
School district	Lowell	RSU 14
High school in town	Lowell High	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.