What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).

Lowell has the most renters (56.8% 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	Lowell
People
Population	19,188Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S.	35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lowell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.	$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.	$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.	$4,499Highest 44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.
Work from home	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#95 of 133 in ME	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 14	Lowell
High school in town	Windham High School	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	14.8Highest
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.