What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newport has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Norway has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Newport	Norway
People
Population	3,143Lowest	5,228Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+1.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	50.3±3.2Highest 12% above ME	49.5±4.9Lowest 10% above ME
	Newport and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.7%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	17.5%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1%
	Norway and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.8%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Norway and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Highest ME: 36.2%	21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Norway and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,365±$13kHighest 19% below ME	$54,342±$17kLowest 27% below ME
	Newport and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$234,800±$30kHighest 21% below ME	$215,800±$29kLowest 27% below ME
	Newport and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$893±$104Highest 22% below ME	$770±$66Lowest 32% below ME
	Newport and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,018Highest about the ME average	$2,057Lowest 32% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.3%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	48.7%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Norway and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%	20.9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%	70.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	34 minHighest 39% above ME
Work from home	14.7%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9%	14.2%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Newport and Norway 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	#97 of 133 in ME	#79 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 19	RSU 17/MSAD 17 · Oxford-Region 11
High school in town	Nokomis Regional High School	Oxford Hills Comprehensive H S
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Lowest	14.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.