Compare towns
Turner vs Windham vs Buckfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Turner has the oldest population (median age 47.6).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Buckfield has the most kids (25.7% under 18).
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 | Turner | Windham | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,891 |
19,188Highest |
2,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±4.3Highest 6% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
| Turner and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Turner and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,036±$28k 34% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$77,917±$41kLowest 4% above ME |
| Windham and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,900±$50k 4% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$227,700±$18kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $584±$490 49% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
| Windham and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,294Lowest 24% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,860 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±64.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Turner and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Buckfield 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 | #33 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 14 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Leavitt Area High School | Windham High School | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.1Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.