Compare towns
Newry 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
Newry has the oldest population (median age 61.1).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Newry | Windham | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 177Lowest |
19,188Highest |
2,617 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61.1±5Highest 36% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
50.2±6.4 12% above ME |
| Newry and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±12.2Lowest 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+ | 42.4%±14.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.3%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Newry and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,000±$23k 10% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $307,700±$69kLowest 4% 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 | $1,125±$666 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
| Windham and Newry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,438Lowest 20% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,835 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±100 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham and Newry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±9.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel 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 | #49 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | RSU 44/MSAD 44 |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Telstar High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.