Compare towns
Winthrop vs Freeport vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winthrop has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Sidney has the youngest population (median age 43).
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 | Winthrop | Freeport | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,191 |
8,802Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Freeport and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Freeport and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Freeport and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,506 15% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Freeport 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.2Highest |
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| 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.