Compare towns
Windsor vs Sumner vs Chelsea
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 most expensive homes ($229k median).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Chelsea has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Sumner | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690 |
845Lowest |
2,823Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8 about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
42.2±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Windsor 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% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chelsea 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±$5k 15% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$85,471±$10kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22kHighest 23% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$182,300±$37k 39% below ME |
| Windsor and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400Lowest 11% above ME |
— | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
| Chelsea 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,313Highest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Windsor 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minLowest 45% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
36 min 48% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 133 in ME | — | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 10 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.