Compare towns
Windham vs Penobscot 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).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Topsham has the most renters (21.1% rent).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,154Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Topsham 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% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Windham 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 |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% 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 |
$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Topsham 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 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.