Compare towns
Manchester vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Manchester | Windham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Manchester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16kLowest 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Manchester 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 38 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.