Compare towns
Alfred vs Wayne vs Waterboro
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%).
Waterboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125 |
1,101Lowest |
8,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42±3.1Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waterboro 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% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest 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% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Waterboro 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 |
$89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
| Wayne and Waterboro 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 |
$297,000±$23kLowest 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±$432 9% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME |
| Waterboro 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 |
$2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #74 of 133 in ME | — | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 38 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Massabesic High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| 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.