What stands out worked out from the figures below

Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).

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.

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

Measure	Presque Isle	Readfield
People
Population	8,736Highest	2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	0%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.1±3.5Lowest about the ME average	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME
	Readfield and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Readfield and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4%	22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Presque Isle and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	48.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8%	3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Presque Isle and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$55,768±$6kLowest 25% below ME	$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME	$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME	$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average
	Readfield and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,401Lowest 21% below ME	$3,392Highest 12% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±9.7Highest ME: 48.4%	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Presque Isle and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 41% below ME	30 minHighest 20% above ME
Work from home	6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Readfield and Presque Isle 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	#62 of 133 in ME	#20 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 79/MSAD 01	RSU 38
High school in town	Presque Isle High School	Maranacook Community High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school	13.7Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.