Compare towns
Bowdoinham vs Readfield vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoinham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Belgrade has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
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 | Bowdoinham | Readfield | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,142 |
2,651Lowest |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,958 about the ME average |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bowdoinham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 22%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Bowdoinham 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.