Compare towns
West Paris vs Windham vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
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 | West Paris | Windham | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,808 |
19,188Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±7.9 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,324±$5kLowest 25% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$333Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
— |
| Windham and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 32% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris 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 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 14 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.