Compare towns
Plainfield vs Standish vs Windham vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Plainfield | Standish | Windham | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 9% below U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 43% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.