Compare towns
Casco vs Salem 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%).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Salem | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696Lowest |
44,795Highest |
3,874 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±3.3Highest 34% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest 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% |
15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Salem 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,313±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$71,118±$37k 12% below U.S. |
| Salem 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. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$325,200±$26kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$184Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,518±$485 7% above U.S. |
| Salem and Wiscasset 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 |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,550 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±35.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.6%±15.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.6%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Casco and Salem 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Salem | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 6 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.