Compare towns
Bremen vs Windham vs Wayne vs Damariscotta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Damariscotta has the most renters (30% 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 | Bremen | Windham | Wayne | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,101 |
2,192 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
49.3±8.6 10% above ME |
| Wayne and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21k 34% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Windham and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28kHighest 43% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$363,500±$42k 23% above ME |
| Bremen and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,027±$88 10% below ME |
| Windham and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,806 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bremen 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | RSU 38 | Great Salt Bay CSD |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.