Compare towns
Holden vs Sidney vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holden has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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.
| Measure | Holden | Sidney | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,352 |
4,790Highest |
2,651Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45±4.6 about the ME average |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Holden and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,200±$35kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Holden and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,400±$70kLowest about the ME average |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Sidney and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Sidney and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,221 6% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.8%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Sidney 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 | #61 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 63/MSAD 63 | RSU 18 | 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.