Compare towns
Alfred vs Wayne vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alfred has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Alfred | Wayne | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125 |
1,101Lowest |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
| Wayne and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432Highest 9% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
— |
| Alfred and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543Highest 17% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bowdoin 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 | #74 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 38 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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.