Compare towns
Windham vs Penobscot
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%).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
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 | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Penobscot 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
| Windham and Penobscot 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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Penobscot 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 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| 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.