Compare towns
Standish vs Lancaster vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Lancaster | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662 |
8,606Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Nashoba | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | 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 |
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.