Compare towns
Windham vs Alstead vs Gray vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Alstead has the oldest population (median age 56).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Windham | Alstead | Gray | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,551Lowest |
8,429 |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.