Compare towns
North Windham vs Standish vs Waterboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Waterboro has the most kids (22.5% 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 | Standish | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,417Lowest |
10,662Highest |
8,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3Highest 6% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42±3.1Highest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waterboro and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| North Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8kLowest 18% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
| Standish and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$297,000±$23kLowest about the ME average |
| North Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,200±$461 5% above ME |
| North Windham and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546Highest 17% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Standish 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 | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | — | Bonny Eagle High School | Massabesic High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.