Compare towns
Bowdoinham vs Readfield vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoinham has the highest household income ($108k).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,142 |
2,651Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Topsham 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±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,958Lowest about the ME average |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 22%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 38 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.