Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Wayne vs Windham vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Steep Falls | Wayne | Windham | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,861 |
1,101Lowest |
19,188Highest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Wayne and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% 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 | $243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below 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 | $3,273 8% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 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 | 7.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 25% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Windham 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 14 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Windham High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.