Compare towns
Winthrop vs Bristol vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winthrop has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Winthrop | Bristol | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,191Highest |
2,917 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3Lowest about the ME average |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
| Bristol and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Bristol and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Bristol and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,051±$106Highest 8% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Bristol and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,506Highest 15% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bristol 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | #16 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| 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.