Compare towns
Castine vs Wayne vs Alna
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).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
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 | Wayne | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,362Highest |
1,101 |
818Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
| Wayne and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$93,125±$16kLowest 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 |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$104Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,088±$176 4% below ME |
| Castine and Alna 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 |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,667 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±56Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Castine and Alna 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 42% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±10.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Alna 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.