Compare towns
Wayne vs Windham vs Gray vs Islesboro
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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 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 | Windham | Gray | Islesboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,101 |
19,188Highest |
8,429 |
636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
| Islesboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Gray 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro 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% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
47.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Gray 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 25% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$88,438±$44kLowest 18% above ME |
| Windham and Gray 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$288,800±$140kLowest about the ME average |
| Windham and Gray 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 |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$938±$252Lowest 18% below ME |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,300Highest 42% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.8%±85.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
8 minLowest 69% below ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Islesboro 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 14 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.