Compare towns
Northport vs Vinalhaven 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).
Vinalhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Vinalhaven | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,621Highest |
1,216 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.6±3.8 26% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
55.6±5.3Lowest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Northport and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.2%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,523±$8k about the ME average |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Northport 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 |
$428,400±$44kHighest 44% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$299Highest 4% below ME |
$1,017±$924 11% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Northport and Vinalhaven 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 |
$3,598Highest 19% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Northport and Vinalhaven 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northport Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| High school 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.