Compare towns
Windham vs Buckfield vs Gray
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%).
Buckfield has the most affordable homes ($228k median).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Buckfield | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
2,403Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest 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 |
$77,917±$41kLowest 4% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 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 |
$227,700±$18kLowest 23% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| 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 8% above ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,860Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Buckfield 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 |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 10 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.