Compare towns
Topsham vs Wayne vs Windham vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most kids (18% under 18).
Wayne has the highest household income ($91k).
Windham has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Topsham | Wayne | Windham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 999Lowest |
1,033 |
1,432Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.1±5.9Lowest 29% above U.S. |
62.6±3.6Highest 61% above U.S. |
56.5±5.1 45% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Wayne and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
40.1%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,308±$60kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$90,938±$17kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$76,477±$17k 5% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Wayne and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,900±$56kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$266,700±$150k 20% below U.S. |
$315,600±$74kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Windham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$398 36% below U.S. |
$1,031±$304 27% below U.S. |
$850±$295Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,006Highest 28% above U.S. |
$3,967 27% above U.S. |
$3,363 8% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91.9%±28.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.9%±35.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 32% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Waits River Union High District #36 | — | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.