Compare towns
Islesboro vs Windham vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Islesboro | Windham | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 636Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Wayne 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% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,438±$44kLowest 18% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,800±$140kLowest about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne 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 |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±85.4 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 8 minLowest 69% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Islesboro 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.