Compare towns
Parsonsfield vs Porter vs Effingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Parsonsfield has the most kids (25% under 18).
Porter has the most affordable homes ($226k median).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
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 | Parsonsfield | Porter | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,715Lowest |
1,746 |
1,912Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
40.9±7.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Effingham and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Parsonsfield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Porter and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Porter and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,045±$18k 11% below U.S. |
$60,417±$9kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$21k 18% below U.S. |
$226,100±$20kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,185±$312Highest 16% below U.S. |
— | $1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Parsonsfield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,350 25% below U.S. |
$1,841Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.2%±35Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 83% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.