Compare towns
Windham vs Dracut vs Topsham
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%).
Dracut has the most expensive homes ($474k 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 | Dracut | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
32,574Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut 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±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Dracut | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Dracut Senior High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.