Compare towns
Strong vs Union vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Strong | Union | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
2,663Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Union and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wayne and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.