What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairfield has the most renters (38.7% rent).

Benton has the most homeowners (84.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fairfield	Benton
People
Population	2,356Lowest	2,770Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-0.6%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME	42.8±6Highest 4% below ME
	Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%	19.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Fairfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	21.2%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME	$61,437±$5kHighest 18% below ME
	Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME	$176,700±$23kHighest 40% below ME
	Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,013±$142Lowest 11% below ME	$1,110±$123Highest about the ME average
	Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,119Highest 30% below ME	$1,758Lowest 42% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45%±23.3Lowest ME: 48.4%	65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	10%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 25% below ME	20 minHighest 21% below ME
Work from home	7.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9%	6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Fairfield and Benton 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	#47 of 133 in ME	#85 of 133 in ME
School district	—	RSU 49/MSAD 49
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.