Compare towns
Windham vs Mars Hill vs Topsham
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 highest household income ($108k).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Mars Hill | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,398Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Topsham 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Topsham 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| 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 31% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| 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 8% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Windham 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% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
8.0Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.