What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).

Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bangor	Readfield
People
Population	31,938Highest	2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	0%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME
	Readfield and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Readfield and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Readfield and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	48.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME	$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME	$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME	$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average
	Readfield and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,076Lowest about the ME average	$3,392Highest 12% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4%	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bangor and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 33% below ME	30 minHighest 20% above ME
Work from home	10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Readfield and Bangor 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	#37 of 133 in ME	#20 of 133 in ME
School district	Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4	RSU 38
High school in town	Bangor High School	Maranacook Community High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.