Compare towns
Standish vs Surry vs Windham
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).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Surry | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662 |
1,836Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% 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 |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453 14% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Standish 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest 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 |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Surry Public Schools | 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 |
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.