Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Jefferson vs Wilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldoboro has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Jefferson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Wilton has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Waldoboro | Jefferson | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
2,647Lowest |
3,862 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±4.6Highest 12% above ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
46.1±6.6 about the ME average |
| Waldoboro and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wilton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
$63,396±$23kLowest 15% below ME |
| Jefferson and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$202,000±$30kLowest 32% below ME |
| Jefferson and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
$446±$274 61% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,861Highest 6% below ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
$2,344Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±15.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1 ME: 48.4% |
52.5%±31.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wilton and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 3% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
13.1%±7.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wilton and Jefferson 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 | #55 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME | #121 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Jefferson Public Schools | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.