Compare towns
Durham vs Wakefield vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Wakefield | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
27,793Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 10% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Durham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 23% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,340±$304Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 21% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.