Compare towns
Pownal vs Readfield vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Readfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Pownal | Readfield | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696Lowest |
2,651 |
4,262Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
| Readfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
| Pownal and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Readfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 38 | RSU 05 |
| 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 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.