Compare towns
Windham vs Plainfield vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Plainfield | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
2,522Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham and Plainfield 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 34% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Plainfield School District | 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 Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.