Compare towns
Durham vs Topsham 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 most affordable homes ($322k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Topsham | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
9,706Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% 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 |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Topsham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.