Compare towns
Windham vs Dresden vs Gray vs Standish
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 people working from home (19%).
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Dresden | Gray | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,645Lowest |
8,429 |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Dresden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Gray 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% |
24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Gray 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% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
| Windham and Standish 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 |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% 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 |
$1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below 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 |
$2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Gray 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% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 02 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.