Compare towns
Middlesex vs Standish vs Windham vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Westford has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
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 | Middlesex | Standish | Windham | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Standish and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Westford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Westford 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.