Compare towns
Harmony vs Readfield vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harmony has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
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 | Harmony | Readfield | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 974 |
2,651Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±2.5Highest 18% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
| Harmony and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Athens and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,063±$13k 28% below ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $202,700±$58k 32% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Readfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449 52% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.8%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Harmony 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 | Harmony Public Schools | RSU 38 | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| 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.