Compare towns
Worcester vs Windham vs Stowe vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Worcester | Windham | Stowe | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
19,188Highest |
5,285 |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Stowe and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Stowe and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 42% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Stowe 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 | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 14 | Stowe Town School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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| 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.