Compare towns
Standish vs Steep Falls vs Wayne vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Standish | Steep Falls | Wayne | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
1,861 |
1,101Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below 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 | 16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Standish and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
| Berwick and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Berwick 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | — | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | RSU 38 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.