Compare towns
Wayne vs Brooks vs South Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
South Thomaston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-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 | Wayne | Brooks | South Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
1,208 |
1,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
54.3±11.3 21% above ME |
| Wayne and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±8.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South Thomaston and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| South Thomaston and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$86,838±$7k 16% above ME |
| Wayne and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$341,300±$37k 15% above ME |
| Wayne and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$925±$633Lowest 19% below ME |
| Brooks and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289 8% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,442Highest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
63.6%±43.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Thomaston and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
16 minLowest 36% below ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school 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.