Compare towns
Standish vs Steep Falls vs Windham vs Waterboro
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).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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.
| Measure | Standish | Steep Falls | Windham | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
1,861Lowest |
19,188Highest |
8,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
42±3.1 6% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Windham and Standish 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$89,392±$16k 20% 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 |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$297,000±$23k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,200±$461 5% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Windham 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 |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls 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 ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | RSU 14 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | — | Windham High School | Massabesic High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.