Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Wayne vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Porter has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Steep Falls | Wayne | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,861Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.9±7.9Lowest 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 | 22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4 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+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 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 | $80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below 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 | $243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$226,100±$20kLowest 24% below 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 | $3,273 8% above ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 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 | 7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 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 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.