Compare towns
Waterboro vs Windham vs Lake Arrowhead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterboro has the oldest population (median age 42).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
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 | Waterboro | Windham | Lake Arrowhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055 |
19,188Highest |
3,322Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
| Waterboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Windham and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Waterboro and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,392±$16kLowest 20% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$98,654±$9k 32% above ME |
| Windham and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $297,000±$23k about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$267,300±$19kLowest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772 9% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 42% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #80 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | Massabesic High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.