Compare towns
Fairfield vs Warren vs Benton
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).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Warren | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
4,932 |
2,770Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% below ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
| Fairfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield 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% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren 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 |
$74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Warren 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 |
$232,700±$32kHighest 22% below ME |
$176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,001±$101Lowest 12% below ME |
$1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
| Warren 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 |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 8% below ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Fairfield and Warren 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 | #120 of 133 in ME | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
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| 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.