Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Rome vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Wayne has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Mount Vernon | Rome | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,716Highest |
1,215 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Rome and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 minLowest 21% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | — | RSU 38 |
| High school 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.