Town · Maine
Thorndike, Maine
Thorndike, town, in Waldo County, Maine. Thorndike had 802 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 774 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,403 (±645). GEOID 2302776610.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
802
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 774 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,403 ±645
Median household income
$78,438
±$14,400 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$205,600
±$87,955 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$836
±$317 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Thorndike and what county is it in?
Thorndike is a town in Waldo County, Maine. It covers 25.3 square miles of land, 31 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Thorndike, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 802 people lived in Thorndike on July 1, 2025, up 3.5% since 2020, in line with Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 774 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,403 (±645).
| Measure | Thorndike | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,403±645 | 40,192 | no clear change |
| Households | 337±76 | 17,470 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 4.16±1.36 | 2.25 | +1.69 |
| Housing units | 360±82 | 22,252 | no clear change |
Thorndike's population since 2000
From 712 in 2000 to 802 in 2025: up 12.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Thorndike as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Thorndike?
The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 98.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 0.5%.
| Measure | Thorndike | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 19.3±23.6 | 47.4 | – |
| Under 18 years | 49.8%±19.2 pts | 17.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.7%±7.7 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Male | 58.7%±4.9 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.4%±1.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 98.7%±1.4 pts | 92.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.8%±0.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 43.0%±30.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6%±2.8 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 8.0%±4.8 pts | 16.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 49.9%±29.7 pts | 9.2% | +37.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 81.1%±17.0 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.2%±8.4 pts | 34.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1%±3.0 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.3%±5.7 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.6%±2.8 pts | 2.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Thorndike earn?
Half of Thorndike's 337 households earn less than $78,438 a year (±$14,400), against $72,782 in Waldo County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 the median was $57,843 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $20,595 after inflation.
| Measure | Thorndike | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,438±$14,400 | $72,782 | +$20,595 |
| Mean household income | $84,953±$9,397 | $91,541 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,015±$6,213 | $40,336 | −$11,301 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.5%±5.4 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.7%±9.9 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.2%±7.9 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 81.3%±16.0 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 76.9%±16.2 pts | 89.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Thorndike?
Owners occupy 87.2% of Thorndike's occupied homes and renters 12.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $205,600 by its owner (±$87,955). The median renter pays $836 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Thorndike | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $205,600±$87,955 | $257,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $836±$317 | $1,021 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.0%±35.6 pts | 33.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,260±$292 | $1,542 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.2%±6.3 pts | 81.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.8%±6.3 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Housing units | 360±82 | 22,252 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.0%±4.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±41.6 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.8%±7.1 pts | 75.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.2%±6.6 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±7.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.0%±6.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.9%±16.3 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.3%±16.1 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Thorndike building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Thorndike in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.2 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Thorndike work and get to work?
47.6% of Thorndike's workers drive alone and 44.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.8 minutes.
| Measure | Thorndike | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.7%±9.1 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5%±3.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 47.6%±22.5 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.6%±3.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±4.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.8%±2.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 44.7%±25.8 pts | 15.6% | +38.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.8 min±7.3 | 26.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Thorndike?
No census tract lies mostly in Thorndike; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 460.02Waldo County | 5,198 | $62,333 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Thorndike) · Census block assignment files
How does Thorndike compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Thorndike is the 8,503rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 281st-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Thorndike is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 281st | 454 |
Thorndike's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Thorndike with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Thorndike?
24 of the 57 figures for Thorndike on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Thorndike are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.