Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Wakefield vs Poland
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 expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Wakefield | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Lowest |
27,793Highest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
44.2±9.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Poland and Wakefield 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% |
21.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Poland 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% |
17.8%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Poland 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% |
23.8%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% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and Poland 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. |
$85,557±$23kLowest 6% 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±$29k 7% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$283,600±$44kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,198±$128 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 10% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$2,774Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.6%±30.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Poland and Wakefield 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% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.