Compare towns
Stow vs Fryeburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Fryeburg 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 | Stow | Fryeburg |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 535Lowest |
3,489Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57±10.5Highest 27% above ME |
53.3±3.4Lowest 19% above ME |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 37.9%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $42,204±$22kLowest 44% below ME |
$56,076±$15kHighest 25% below ME |
| Fryeburg and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$42kHighest 10% above ME |
$268,600±$30kLowest 9% below ME |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $893±$85 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,304Highest 9% above ME |
$2,928Lowest 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.8%±14.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Fryeburg and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 51 minHighest 109% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±12Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±7.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Stow and Fryeburg 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 | — | #103 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.