What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k median).

Waldo has the most expensive homes ($208k median).

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	Mount Chase	Waldo
People
Population	280Lowest	926Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.3% ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.9±10.9Highest 11% above ME	37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME
	Mount Chase and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1%	20.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Chase and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4%	12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	36.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±5.7Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Chase and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME	$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME	$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME	$1,150±$691Lowest about the ME average
	Mount Chase and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,548Lowest 49% below ME	$1,623Highest 47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Waldo and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	30.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 9% above ME	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Chase and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	Waldo-Region 7
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.