Compare towns
Wayne vs Derry vs South Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Derry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
South Thomaston has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Derry | South Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
34,116Highest |
1,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
54.3±11.3 40% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.8%±8.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9%±9.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Thomaston and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$86,838±$7kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Derry 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 9% above U.S. |
$432,000±$17kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$341,300±$37kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554 30% below U.S. |
$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S. |
$925±$633Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Derry and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$8,103Highest 160% above U.S. |
$3,442 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.6%±43.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Thomaston and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Derry 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 | — | #60 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Pinkerton Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.