Compare towns
Manchester vs Windham vs Hallowell
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 most homeowners (85%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Hallowell has the most renters (41.7% rent).
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 | Hallowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
19,188Highest |
2,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
| Hallowell and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest 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%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hallowell and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hallowell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$68,398±$10kLowest 8% below 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±$40k about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$295,300±$45kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116 13% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$890±$175Lowest 22% below 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 |
$3,867 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hallowell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell 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 38 | RSU 14 | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.