Compare towns
Manchester vs Readfield vs Woolwich
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 people working from home (24.3%).
Woolwich has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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 | Woolwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
2,651 |
3,158Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Woolwich and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Readfield 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% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$102,175±$26kHighest 37% above ME |
| Woolwich and Manchester 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 |
$254,500±$59kLowest 14% below 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±$116Lowest 13% 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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich 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% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Manchester 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 | #92 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| 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.