Compare towns
Harmony vs Readfield vs Wayne vs Cherryfield
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Cherryfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Wayne | Cherryfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 974 |
2,651Highest |
1,101 |
809Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±2.5 18% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Harmony 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% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% 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 | $202,700±$58k 32% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$195,800±$53kLowest 34% 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 |
$428±$107Lowest 62% 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 | $1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.8%±8.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4 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 | Harmony Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Cherryfield Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.