Compare towns
Fayette vs Sidney vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fayette has the oldest population (median age 58.8).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Fayette | Sidney | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,383Lowest |
4,790Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.8±4.2Highest 31% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Fayette and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.2%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Fayette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,500±$17kLowest 20% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
| Readfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,600±$48kLowest 13% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Sidney and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$816Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Sidney and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,160 4% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Fayette and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.1 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Fayette 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Fayette Public Schools | RSU 18 | 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 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.