Compare towns
Harpswell vs Pownal vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harpswell has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Pownal has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Readfield has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Harpswell | Pownal | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,046Highest |
1,696Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
47.2±8.4Lowest 5% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Pownal and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$436,800±$32k 47% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Harpswell and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.7%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 05 | 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 Our Story | 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.