Compare towns
Naples vs Windham vs Bethel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Naples has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
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 | Naples | Windham | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,985 |
19,188Highest |
2,617Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$344,900±$37k 16% above ME |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
| Naples and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,835 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #49 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 14 | RSU 44/MSAD 44 |
| High school in town | Lake Region High School | Windham High School | Telstar High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
12.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.