Compare towns
Alna vs Edgecomb vs Wayne vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Edgecomb has the highest household income ($109k).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Alna | Edgecomb | Wayne | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 818Lowest |
1,251Highest |
1,101 |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
41±8.8 8% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.9%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±7.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8%±6.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Edgecomb and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16k 25% above ME |
$108,750±$18kHighest 46% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
| Edgecomb and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
$348,400±$36k 17% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| Alna and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176 4% below ME |
— | $983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667Highest 21% above ME |
$3,577 18% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±43.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Edgecomb Public Schools | RSU 38 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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 | 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.