Compare towns
Thorndike vs Union vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Wales has the most homeowners (91.4%).
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 | Thorndike | Union | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,924 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
41.6±5.3Highest 7% below ME |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Union and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$77,004±$5kLowest 3% above ME |
| Union and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
| Union and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
| Union and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537Lowest 16% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,578 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | None in town | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| 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.