Compare towns
Standish vs Exeter vs Windham vs Winthrop
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
1,093Lowest |
19,188Highest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5% 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 |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Exeter and Winthrop 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%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Winthrop 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% 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%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% 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 |
$294,800±$41k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453 14% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Windham and Exeter 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 |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Winthrop 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% 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 |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | RSU 14 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | — | Windham High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1 |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.