Compare towns
Windham vs Wakefield 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Wakefield | Gray | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188 |
27,793Highest |
8,429Lowest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest 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. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Gray and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 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±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 26% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% 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% |
70.7%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. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
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.