What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).

Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Wales
People
Population	24,602Highest	1,924Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME	35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME
	Auburn and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 18.1%	30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4%	11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	5.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Auburn and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME	$77,004±$5kHighest 3% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME	$250,400±$28kLowest 16% below ME
	Auburn and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME	$1,154±$64Highest about the ME average
	Wales and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,687Highest 21% above ME	$2,578Lowest 15% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4%	83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Wales and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	25.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	91.4%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 12% below ME	28 minHighest 14% above ME
Work from home	11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Wales and Auburn 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	#110 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Auburn Public Schools	RSU 04
High school in town	Edward Little High School	Oak Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.