Compare towns
Brooklin vs Wayne vs Rome vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Brooklin | Wayne | Rome | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 869 |
1,101 |
1,215Highest |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
| Wayne and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.1% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
| Wayne and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
| Wayne and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,829 40% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 38 | — | Beals 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 | 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.