Compare towns
Somerville vs Waldo vs Freedom
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%).
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Waldo | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837 |
926Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
40.1±2.7Highest 10% below ME |
| Freedom and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$64,861±$12kLowest 13% below ME |
| Waldo and Somerville 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 |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% 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 |
$1,150±$691Lowest 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 | $2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| 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.