Compare towns
Fairfield vs Benton vs Poland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Fairfield | Benton | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
2,770Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4 4% below ME |
42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
| Poland and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
| Poland and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,001±$101Lowest 12% below ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,217 27% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,774Highest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% ME: 10.7% |
10%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Fairfield 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 | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.