Compare towns
Palermo vs Windham vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Washington has the most affordable homes ($195k 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 | Palermo | Windham | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washington and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washington and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±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 |
$59,861±$17kLowest 20% 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 |
$195,200±$36kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,036±$322Lowest 9% below ME |
| Palermo and Windham 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 |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Washington 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% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Lowest 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 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.