Compare towns
Casco vs Ayer vs Wiscasset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Casco has the most people working from home (26.6%).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Wiscasset has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Casco | Ayer | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696Lowest |
8,645Highest |
3,874 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±3.3Highest 34% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.8±6.3 25% above U.S. |
| Casco and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±7.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wiscasset and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ayer and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,313±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$71,118±$37k 12% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$58k 7% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$325,200±$26kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$184Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,518±$485Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Wiscasset and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,085Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$3,550 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±35.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.6%±15.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.6%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Casco and Ayer 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 | — | #113 of 282 in MA | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Ayer Shirley School District | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.