Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Meredith vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Bowdoin | Meredith | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
6,758Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest 14% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.9±5.3 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meredith and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$82,321±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bowdoin and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$342,300±$38k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,035±$432Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,543 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
82.2%±29.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alfred and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.