Compare towns
Palermo vs Windham vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% 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 | Palermo | Windham | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473 |
19,188Highest |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Palermo and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
| Windham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506 17% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Palermo 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 | RSU 12 | RSU 14 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.