Compare towns
China vs Readfield vs Wayne vs Sidney
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 affordable homes ($240k median).
Readfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Wayne | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,526 |
2,651 |
1,101Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and China 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%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| China and Wayne 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±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.