Compare towns
Windham vs South Berwick vs Cumberland
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 most affordable homes ($389k median).
South Berwick has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
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 | South Berwick | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
7,670Lowest |
8,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
41.9±4Highest 6% below ME |
| Cumberland 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 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
25.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Cumberland 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% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Cumberland and Windham 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% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Berwick 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±$14k 44% above ME |
$99,572±$13kLowest 33% above ME |
$173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
$616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
$1,726±$83 52% above ME |
$2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
| Cumberland and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$4,956 63% above ME |
$7,116Highest 134% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.1%±31.3 ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Marshwood High School | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
13.0Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.