Compare towns
Athens vs Wayne vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Harmony has the most renters (32.2% rent).
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 | Athens | Wayne | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 791Lowest |
1,101Highest |
974 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
52.9±2.5 18% above ME |
| Wayne and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$54,063±$13k 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$202,700±$58k 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
$983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
— |
| Wayne and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,449 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.8%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Public Schools | RSU 38 | Harmony Public Schools |
| 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.