Compare towns
Roxbury vs Windham vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Roxbury has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Lowell has the most affordable homes ($183k 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 | Roxbury | Windham | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 942Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,070 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±11.7 8% below U.S. |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S. |
32.9±6.5Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Windham and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 30.6%±5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30.7%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Roxbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,214±$22k 9% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$57,404±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Windham and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,600±$55k 27% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$183,400±$33kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$495 33% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$945±$46Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Windham and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,284Highest 37% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$2,810Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.3%±92.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
55 minHighest 109% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | Lowell School District |
| High school 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 |
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.