Compare towns
Auburn vs Wayne vs Sanford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Auburn | Wayne | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
1,101Lowest |
22,247 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Auburn 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$72,524±$7k about the ME average |
| Wayne and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,708Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | — | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 38 | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 17.7Highest |
| 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.