Compare towns
Knox vs Readfield vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most renters (19.9% rent).
Readfield has the most expensive homes ($326k median).
Columbia has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Knox | Readfield | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825 |
2,651Highest |
529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
41.9±6.4 6% below ME |
| Readfield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Columbia and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Columbia and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Columbia and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$56,667±$15kLowest 24% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$158,700±$19kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$894±$162Lowest 22% below ME |
| Knox and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610 47% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,226Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Columbia and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Knox 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 38 | — |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | — |
| 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.