Compare towns
Brooksville vs Wayne vs Castine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooksville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Castine has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Castine is a college town. 47.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brooksville | Wayne | Castine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 853Lowest |
1,101 |
1,362Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61.4±6.3Highest 37% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
| Brooksville and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wayne and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 41.6%±10.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brooksville and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,316±$20kLowest 25% below ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
| Castine and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,900±$113k 32% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$603,500±$114kHighest 103% above ME |
| Castine and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,307±$68Highest 15% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,105±$104 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,945Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,250Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.3%±56Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castine and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±10.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brooksville Public Schools | RSU 38 | Castine Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.