Compare towns
Durham vs Pownal vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Readfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Durham | Pownal | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Highest |
1,696Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Pownal and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 05 | 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 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.