Compare towns
Windham vs Gardner 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 highest household income ($108k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Gardner | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
21,148Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham and Gardner 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. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Windham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| 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 13% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Topsham and Windham 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. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,259Highest 37% 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% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Gardner | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Gardner High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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.