Compare towns
Windham vs Belfast vs Gray vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% 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 | Windham | Belfast | Gray | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
6,986Lowest |
8,429 |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
| Windham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #84 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 71 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Belfast Area High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.