Compare towns
Wayne vs Mars Hill vs Union
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%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Mars Hill | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
1,398 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Mars Hill 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Wayne and Union 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554 14% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Wayne 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.