Compare towns
Windham vs Lyman 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Lyman has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
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 | Lyman | Gray | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
4,612Lowest |
8,429 |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 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% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman 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% |
25.1%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% |
3.3%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$87,284±$14kLowest 17% above ME |
$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 |
$360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$336,000±$18kLowest 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 |
$1,063±$522 7% below 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 |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 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% |
18.9%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Lyman 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 | #40 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | 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.