Compare towns
Standish vs Needham vs Berwick vs North 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%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
North Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Needham | Berwick | North Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
32,459Highest |
8,175 |
5,417Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
42±3 8% above U.S. |
| Needham and North 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Berwick 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% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Windham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
$88,522±$8kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
$342,800±$29k 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
$1,248±$604 12% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,546 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #101 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Needham | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Needham High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.