Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Wayne vs Pownal
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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Wayne | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Wayne and Pownal 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Pownal 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 |
$93,194±$26kLowest 25% above ME |
$104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
| New Gloucester and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Wayne 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Pownal 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 38 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.