Compare towns
South Windham vs Standish vs Mapleton vs Alna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Alna has the most kids (32.9% 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 | South Windham | Standish | Mapleton | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,212 |
10,662Highest |
1,884 |
818Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
| Mapleton and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Alna and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Standish and South Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$93,125±$16k 25% above ME |
| South Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
| Alna and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,088±$176 4% below ME |
| South Windham and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,941 3% below ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,667Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 37% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham and Alna 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.