What stands out worked out from the figures below

Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Steep Falls	Waldo
People
Population	1,861Highest	926Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average	37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME
	Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1%	20.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	12.2%±1.6Highest ME: 22.4%
	Waldo and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	36.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,280±$33kHighest 7% above ME	$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME
	Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$243,400±$31kHighest 18% below ME	$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME
	Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME	$1,150±$691Lowest about the ME average
	Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,273Highest 8% above ME	$1,623Lowest 47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±36.1Lowest ME: 48.4%	74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Waldo and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 25% above ME	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
School district	—	Waldo-Region 7
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.