Compare towns
Winthrop vs Windham vs Wayne 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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Windham | Wayne | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,191 |
19,188Highest |
1,101Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Windham 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Winthrop 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.