Compare towns
Waterboro vs Windham vs Winthrop
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055 |
19,188Highest |
6,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1 6% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43.6±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Winthrop and Waterboro 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% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
| Windham and Waterboro 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 |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461 5% above ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Windham and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest 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 | #80 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 14 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Massabesic High School | Windham High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1 |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.