Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Windham vs Berwick vs Baldwin
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Windham | Berwick | Baldwin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,861 |
19,188Highest |
8,175 |
1,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
| Baldwin 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Berwick 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% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$68,045±$8kLowest 9% below ME |
| Windham and Berwick 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
| Windham and Berwick 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 |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
— |
| Steep Falls and Berwick 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,540Lowest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | — |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.