Compare towns
Hanover vs Wayne vs Sweden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wayne has the highest household income ($93k).
Sweden has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Hanover | Wayne | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 276Lowest |
1,101Highest |
537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±10.3 19% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
51.1±19.2Lowest 14% above ME |
| Wayne and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±9.8 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sweden and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±12.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,417±$52kLowest 26% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$73,750±$25k about the ME average |
| Wayne and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,500±$36k 13% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$311,300±$61kLowest 5% above ME |
| Wayne and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,492Lowest 18% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Wayne and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 9% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 25%±19.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.