Compare towns
Durham vs Sidney vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Durham | Sidney | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
4,790Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Durham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Sidney and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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.