Compare towns
Bristol vs Mapleton vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Readfield has the most homeowners (89.9%).
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 | Bristol | Mapleton | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Bristol and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668 12% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Readfield 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.