What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).

Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Newfields	Bangor
People
Population	2,023Lowest	31,938Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S.	41±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Newfields and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bangor and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.	$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.	$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.	$1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.5%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bangor and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	17 minLowest 37% below U.S.
Work from home	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#37 of 133 in ME
School district	Newfields School District	Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4
High school in town	None in town	Bangor High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.