What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).

Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Gardner
People
Population	19,188Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.
	Gardner and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Windham and Gardner 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%	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gardner and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner and 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±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S.	$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S.	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Windham and Gardner 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.	$4,150Highest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardner and Windham 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%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and Gardner 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	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 14	Gardner
High school in town	Windham High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.