Compare towns
Lincoln vs Millinocket vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lincoln has the most renters (27.4% rent).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
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 | Lincoln | Millinocket | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,890Highest |
4,115 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±3.4Lowest 17% above ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Millinocket and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.1%±7.4 ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2% ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,089±$15k 25% below ME |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,500±$40k 52% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $658±$28 42% below ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
| Wayne and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,860 39% below ME |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±34.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Lincoln and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #94 of 133 in ME | #98 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Lincoln-Region 3 · RSU 67 | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Mattanawcook Academy | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
11.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.