Compare towns
Windham vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,671Lowest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Standish 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% 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±$22k 31% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$336,000±$18kLowest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Windham 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| 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.