What stands out worked out from the figures below

Madawaska has the shortest commute (12 min average).

Newport has the most people working from home (14.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Madawaska	Newport
People
Population	3,853Highest	3,143Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	52.6±4.1Highest 17% above ME	50.3±3.2Lowest 12% above ME
	Madawaska and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1%	14.7%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Madawaska and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.8%±5Highest ME: 22.4%	24.8%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Madawaska and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	24.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	2%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Newport and Madawaska are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,818±$9kLowest 24% below ME	$60,365±$13kHighest 19% below ME
	Newport and Madawaska are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$156,300±$15kLowest 47% below ME	$234,800±$30kHighest 21% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$635±$148Lowest 44% below ME	$893±$104Highest 22% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,923Lowest 37% below ME	$3,018Highest about the ME average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±31.2Highest ME: 48.4%	44.3%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Madawaska and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13%Highest ME: 10.7%	12.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	12 minLowest 53% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	5.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	14.7%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Newport and Madawaska 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	#83 of 133 in ME	#97 of 133 in ME
School district	Madawaska Public Schools	RSU 19
High school in town	Madawaska Middle/High School	Nokomis Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	13.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.