Compare towns
Wayne vs Jay 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%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k 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 | Jay | South Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
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% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Jay 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% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest 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% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% 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±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$925±$633 19% below ME |
| Wayne and South Thomaston 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 |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,442Highest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
63.6%±43.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Thomaston and Jay 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
16 minLowest 36% below ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.