Compare towns
Bristol vs Wayne vs Harpswell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Bristol | Wayne | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917 |
1,101Lowest |
5,046Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2 36% above ME |
55.6±5.3Lowest 24% above ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
| Harpswell and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bristol and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$93,194±$26kLowest 25% above ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
| Bristol and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Wayne and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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.