Compare towns
Porter vs Steep Falls vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
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 | Porter | Steep Falls | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,746 |
1,861Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
14.5% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.