Compare towns
Windham vs Exeter vs Topsham 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%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Exeter | Topsham | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,093Lowest |
9,706 |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 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%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Exeter 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 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 | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | Mt Ararat High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.2 |
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.