Compare towns
Newburgh vs Starks vs Wayne vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 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 | Newburgh | Starks | Wayne | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,475Highest |
556Lowest |
1,101 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Wayne and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Wayne and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,748 9% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 38 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.