Compare towns
Wayne vs Castine vs Leeds
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%).
Castine has the most expensive homes ($604k median).
Leeds has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
Castine is a college town. 47.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Castine | Leeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
1,362 |
2,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
38.2±8.3 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.6%±9.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.4%±3.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
$85,208±$14kLowest 14% above ME |
| Castine and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$603,500±$114kHighest 103% above ME |
$257,800±$27kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,105±$104Highest about the ME average |
$940±$461Lowest 17% below ME |
| Castine 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 |
$4,250Highest 40% above ME |
$2,565Lowest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.3%±56Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.1%±11.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Castine and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.1% ME: 10.7% |
19.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 24% above ME |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | Castine Public Schools | RSU 52/MSAD 52 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.