Compare towns
Standish vs Exeter vs Windham vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% 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 | Standish | Exeter | Windham | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
1,093Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
| Exeter and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | — | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.