The town population remained small throughout its history. Unlike neighboring towns, Wayne never had any railroad connections, and the hamlets of Kohlsville, St. Kilians, and Wayne Center remained rural communities that served the local farmers, unlike hamlets in neighboring towns which grew and prospered with construction of new railroads. Beginning in the 1970s, Wayne's population began to increase, nearly doubling from 1,214 in 1970 to 2,169 in 2010. However, as of the 2010s, Wayne has the second-lowest housing density in Washington County, and more than 60 percent of the land is zoned agricultural.
The town population remained small throughout its history. Unlike neighboring towns, Wayne never had any railroad connections, and the hamlets of Kohlsville, St. Kilians, and Wayne Center remained rural communities that served the local farmers, unlike hamlets in neighboring towns which grew and prospered with construction of new railroads. Beginning in the 1970s, Wayne's population began to increase, nearly doubling from 1,214 in 1970 to 2,169 in 2010 However, as of the 2010s, Wayne has the second-lowest housing density in Washington County, and more than 60 percent of t.he land is zoned agricultural.