Compare towns
Castine vs Jackson vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castine has the most expensive homes ($604k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Castine | Jackson | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,362Highest |
567Lowest |
1,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 9.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Jackson and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
$75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$93,194±$26k 25% 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 | $603,500±$114kHighest 103% above ME |
$231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$104Highest about the ME average |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Castine and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,250Highest 40% above ME |
$2,651Lowest 13% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±56Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Castine and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 42% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±10.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Castine Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| High school 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.