Compare towns
Thorndike vs Unity vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Thorndike | Unity | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403Lowest |
1,858 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Windham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.