Compare towns
Windsor vs Palermo vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Windsor | Palermo | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690Highest |
1,473 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8Highest about the ME average |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Windsor and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Palermo and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
| Palermo and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400 11% above ME |
$1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,506Highest 17% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Windsor 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 12 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.