Compare towns
Freedom vs Readfield vs Wayne vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Readfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Freedom | Readfield | Wayne | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 670Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,101 |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Readfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.