Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Sidney vs Winthrop vs Poland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Poland has the most affordable homes ($284k 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.
| Measure | New Gloucester | Sidney | Winthrop | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,766 |
4,790Lowest |
6,191Highest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
| Poland and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$294,800±$41k about the ME average |
$283,600±$44kLowest 4% below ME |
| New Gloucester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
| Sidney and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 13% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.9% ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Poland 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 18 | Winthrop Public Schools | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Winthrop High School | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.