What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harmony has the oldest population (median age 52.9).

Buckfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).

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.

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

Measure	Harmony	Buckfield
People
Population	974Lowest	2,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-1.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	52.9±2.5Highest 18% above ME	37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME
Kids under 18	16.4%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Buckfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4%	13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	26.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Harmony and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$54,063±$13kLowest 28% below ME	$77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME
	Buckfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$202,700±$58kLowest 32% below ME	$227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME
	Buckfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$521±$33 54% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,449Lowest 52% below ME	$2,860Highest 6% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Harmony and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 30% above ME	31 minLowest 25% above ME
Work from home	14.8%±8.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Buckfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Harmony Public Schools	RSU 10
High school in town	None in town	Buckfield Jr-Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.2
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.