Compare towns
North Windham vs Lancaster vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% 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 | North Windham | Lancaster | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,417Lowest |
8,606Highest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±3 8% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Windham and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604 12% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546 14% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Nashoba | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.