Compare towns
Islesboro vs Wayne vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Islesboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Friendship has the most kids (15.3% 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 | Islesboro | Wayne | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 636Lowest |
1,101 |
1,213Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
55.5±6.9Lowest 24% above ME |
| Islesboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Friendship and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,438±$44k 18% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$75,625±$22kLowest about the ME average |
| Wayne and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,800±$140k about the ME average |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$275,000±$56kLowest 7% below ME |
| Wayne and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$252Lowest 18% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
| Friendship and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,300Highest 42% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±85.4 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Friendship and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 8 minLowest 69% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school 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.