Compare towns
Windham vs Mapleton vs Franklin vs Little Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Little Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Franklin | Little Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,884 |
1,628 |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+21.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
46.3±21.2Highest 3% above ME |
| Little Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±16.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Little Falls 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 ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±3.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$127,500±$72kHighest 71% above ME |
| Little Falls and Windham 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$375,800±$96k 27% above ME |
| Windham and Little Falls 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$2,205±$101Highest 94% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$4,041Highest 33% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
15.3%±31.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
0.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
67.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
0%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Franklin 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 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| 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 | None yet | 2 photos → |
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.