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 homeowners (91.2%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
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 |
3,216Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9Highest 17% 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% |
20.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,019±$263 28% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Windham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,226Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | White Mountains Regional School District | 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.