Compare towns

Standish vs Rochester 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%).
Rochester has the most renters (34% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).

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.

MeasureStandishRochesterWindham
People
Population
10,662Lowest
33,144Highest
19,188
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.5±2.8Lowest
4% above U.S.
43±1.8Highest
11% above U.S.
41.8±1.8
7% above U.S.
Rochester 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%
18.2%±1.7
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Rochester 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%
19.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.9%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Rochester 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
27.1%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%
4.3%±1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$104,593±$15k
30% above U.S.
$80,836±$3kLowest
about the U.S. average
$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
$279,100±$10kLowest
16% below U.S.
$388,900±$22kHighest
17% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$983±$453Lowest
30% below U.S.
$1,369±$72Highest
3% below U.S.
$1,232±$332
13% below U.S.
Rochester and Windham 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.
$5,334Highest
71% above U.S.
$3,938
26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
57.4%±22.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.3%±7
U.S.: 51.1%
32.7%±14.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Standish and Rochester 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%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
66%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980
same as U.S.
1978Lowest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
13.6%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
11.8%±2.1Lowest
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 #98 of 120 in NH #95 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 06/MSAD 06 Rochester School District RSU 14
High school in town Bonny Eagle High School Spaulding High School Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5
13.2Highest
12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.