Compare towns
China vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the highest household income ($96k).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | China | Waldo |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,526Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Highest 9% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| China and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| China and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| China and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
| China and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kHighest 19% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| China and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and China 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.