Compare towns
China vs Readfield vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Palermo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | China | Readfield | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Highest |
2,651 |
1,473Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Readfield and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| China and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kLowest 19% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
| Readfield and Palermo 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 |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
| Palermo and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535 17% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Palermo 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 38 | RSU 12 |
| 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 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.