Compare towns
Windham vs Dexter vs Gorham vs South Windham
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 most homeowners (84.6%).
Dexter has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Dexter | Gorham | South Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
3,822 |
18,300 |
1,212Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham 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% |
19.7%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dexter and Gorham 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% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.9%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and South 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±$14k 44% above ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
| South Windham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$170,600±$52kLowest 42% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
| South Windham and Gorham 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 |
$2,186Lowest 28% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,941 3% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Gorham 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% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham 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 | #113 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 14 | MSAD 46 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Dexter Regional High School | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.3Highest |
12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.