Compare towns
Windham vs Clifton vs Topsham
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).
Clifton has the most affordable homes ($203k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Clifton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,111Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
52.7±7.1Highest 18% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Clifton and Topsham 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% |
16%±7.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
21.2%±7.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Clifton 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% |
26.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.6%±8.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Clifton and Topsham 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 |
$70,313±$16kLowest 6% below ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Windham and Topsham 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 |
$202,500±$67kLowest 32% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Windham and Topsham 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 |
$1,217±$624Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Windham 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 |
$1,838Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
81.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Clifton and Topsham 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.