Compare towns
Orwell vs Windham vs Whiting vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Orwell | Windham | Whiting | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,294 |
19,188Highest |
532Lowest |
957 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.5±7 22% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Orange and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orwell and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
| Windham and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,600±$25k about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
$222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
| Orange and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914 25% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,545Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Orange 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 14 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.