Compare towns
Alfred vs Wayne vs Poland
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 oldest population (median age 55.6).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125 |
1,101Lowest |
5,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
44.2±9.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland 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% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Poland 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 |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Wayne and Poland 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 |
$283,600±$44kLowest 4% below ME |
| 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±$432 9% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Alfred 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Poland 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Poland 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 | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 38 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.