Compare towns
Montgomery vs Plainfield vs Windham vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Montgomery | Plainfield | Windham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
1,314 |
19,188Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3 32% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montgomery and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45k about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326 39% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | RSU 14 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| 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.