Compare towns

Wade vs Durham vs Mount Chase

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k median).

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.

MeasureWadeDurhamMount Chase
People
Population
244Lowest
4,262Highest
280
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+8.4%
ME: +2.6%
—
Median age
53.6±18.5Highest
20% above ME
42.6±5.9Lowest
5% below ME
49.9±10.9
11% above ME
Wade and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.4%±6.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
19.7%±4.6
ME: 18.1%
22.1%±10.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
Mount Chase and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
34.8%±10.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
16.6%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
28.9%±6.3
ME: 22.4%
Wade and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
33.2%
ME: 36.2%
34.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
32.1%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.4%±4.6Lowest
ME: 5.8%
4.9%±3.1Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.9%±5.7
ME: 5.8%
Durham and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$41,818±$25k
44% below ME
$99,181±$5kHighest
33% above ME
$41,711±$7kLowest
44% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$157,100±$109k
47% below ME
$322,200±$34kHighest
9% above ME
$115,700±$15kLowest
61% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly — —
$1,281±$1k
12% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,655
45% below ME
$3,781Highest
25% above ME
$1,548Lowest
49% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
25%±40.9
ME: 48.4%
28.6%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
Mount Chase and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
4.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
30.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
95.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
90%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1951Lowest
26 yrs older than ME
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
37% above ME
28 min
13% above ME
27 minLowest
9% above ME
Work from home
10.1%±6.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
20.9%±5.6
ME: 15.9%
22.2%±12.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
Mount Chase and Durham 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 — #14 of 133 in ME —
School district — RSU 05 —
High school 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.