Compare towns
Windham vs Starks vs Standish
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%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Starks | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
556Lowest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Starks and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Starks 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% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
| 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 31% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
| Windham and Starks 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Starks 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| 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.