Compare towns
Westbrook vs Wayne vs Portland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Portland has the most expensive homes ($490k median).
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 | Westbrook | Wayne | Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775 |
1,101Lowest |
68,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
37.8±0.8 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.4%±1.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
59.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.7%±0.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$79,540±$4kLowest 6% above ME |
| Wayne and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$489,600±$13kHighest 65% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,577±$35Highest 38% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005 32% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$5,601Highest 84% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±3.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Portland and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
19 min 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.8%±1.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Portland 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | — | #133 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 38 | Portland Public Schools · Baxter Academy for Technology and Science |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | None in town | Portland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 14.4Highest |
| 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.