Compare towns
Waldo vs Patten vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Waldo | Patten | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926 |
1,154Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Waldo and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
| Jackson and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
| Jackson and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Waldo and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623 47% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Waldo-Region 7 | — | — |
| 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.