Compare towns
Manchester vs Upton vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Manchester | Upton | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
8,189Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,600±$40kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116 30% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844Highest 20% below U.S. |
| 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 12% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.