Compare towns
Alfred vs Poland vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Alfred | Poland | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125Lowest |
5,954Highest |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
44.2±9.4Lowest about the ME average |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Alfred and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
$283,600±$44kLowest 4% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Alfred and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
— |
| Poland and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543Highest 17% above ME |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Bowdoin 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 | #74 of 133 in ME | #81 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 16 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.