Compare towns
Somerville vs Thorndike vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | Somerville | Thorndike | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
1,403Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
37.5±9.6Highest 16% below ME |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Thorndike and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505 17% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.