Compare towns
Windham vs Sharon vs Gray vs Standish
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%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Sharon | Gray | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
1,577Lowest |
8,429 |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
| 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±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Sharon School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.