Compare towns
Manchester vs Readfield vs Winthrop
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Readfield has the most expensive homes ($326k median).
Winthrop has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
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 | Readfield | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
2,651 |
6,191Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
43.6±5.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop and Manchester 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Winthrop 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486 15% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop 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% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| 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.