Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Wakefield vs Arundel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Arundel has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Wakefield | Arundel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766 |
27,793Highest |
4,418Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.9±6.4 5% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$101,597±$17kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$421,300±$62k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,607±$495 14% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$3,763 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±22.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #65 of 133 in ME | #179 of 282 in MA | #7 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.