Compare towns
Manchester vs Wayne vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Manchester | Wayne | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Wayne and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16kLowest 23% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
| Pownal and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116Highest 13% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
| Manchester and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486 15% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.