Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Windham vs Winthrop 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 most expensive homes ($389k median).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Winthrop | Baldwin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,861 |
19,188Highest |
6,191 |
1,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
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% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% 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% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$68,045±$8kLowest 9% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$294,800±$41k about the ME average |
$263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,506 15% 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% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Winthrop 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
32 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | Winthrop Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Winthrop High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.