Compare towns
Northport vs Freeport vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northport has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Northport | Freeport | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,621 |
8,802Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.6±3.8Highest 26% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
| Northport and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,523±$8kLowest about the ME average |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Freeport and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,400±$36kLowest 16% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$299 4% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Freeport and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,721Lowest 10% below ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±100 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Freeport 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Northport Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.