Compare towns
Mendon vs North Windham vs Windham vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
North Windham has the most renters (19.9% rent).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Mendon | North Windham | Windham | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
5,417 |
19,188Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
42±3 8% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$88,522±$8kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$342,800±$29kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,248±$604Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| North Windham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$3,546Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and North 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 | Strafford School District |
| High school 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 | 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.