What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).

Springfield has the most people working from home (16.7%).

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	Boothbay	Springfield
People
Population	3,102Highest	1,122Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.8±3.9Highest 46% above U.S.	51.4±8.8Lowest 32% above U.S.
	Boothbay and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.1%±8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Springfield and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	35.4%±7.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,320±$17kLowest 25% below U.S.	$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$342,100±$43kLowest about the U.S. average	$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S.
	Springfield and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$121Highest 19% below U.S.	$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Boothbay and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,202Lowest 29% below U.S.	$5,946Highest 91% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.4%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1%	25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Boothbay and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	13 minLowest 50% below U.S.	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	5.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.7%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Springfield and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.