Compare towns
Manchester vs Augusta vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Manchester | Augusta | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
19,077Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Manchester and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,600±$40k about the ME average |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116 13% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486Highest 15% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Augusta 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 | — | #119 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.