Compare towns
Windham vs Manchester
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%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester 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 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Manchester 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 44% above ME |
$92,031±$16kLowest 23% above ME |
| Windham and Manchester 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 |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Windham and Manchester 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 |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham and Manchester 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% |
4.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Manchester 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.